White Knight In Shining Armor
by Mele
Summary: A medieval tale of romance, action, and adventure with heroes and princesses and wizards galore...Chapter Fifteen added. An encounter with the animals...
1. Default Chapter

**_Disclaimer:_**_ The usual-they all belong to Saban, not to me.  I don't have permission to use them, and I don't get paid for it.****_

**_Notes and Timeline:_**_ Original team, not in any Power Ranger timeline. This was inspired by Rap's version of "Strangers With Familiar Faces", the section where Tommy assigns medieval roles to all the Rangers.  This story is being done with her knowledge and permission.  Thanks Rap!  Please note that any misspelling of a canon character's name is wholly intentional, as was the fact that I've played a bit fast and loose with some of the personalities as well._

**_Warning:_**_  Dang, I was hoping to avoid any warnings this time, but better safe than sorry.  There is a scene in this story that depicts the severe corporal punishment of a child, which could be considered child abuse.  This scene does not represent the parenting beliefs of the author, but was included to illustrate the societal beliefs of the fictional country in this tale.  If you think such a scene will upset you, please do not read this story.  _

**White Knight in Shining Armor**

**By Mele**

_"My lady," he said, "I am a hero.  It is a trade, no _

_more, like weaving or brewing, and like them it has_

_its own tricks and knacks and small arts.  There are _

_ways of perceiving witches, and of knowing poison_

_streams; there are certain weak spots that all dragons_

_have, and certain riddles that hooded strangers tend to _

_set you.  But the true secret of being a hero lies in knowing_

_the order of things.  The swineherd cannot already be wed _

_to the princess when he embarks on his adventures, nor _

_can the boy knock at the witch's door when she is away_

_on vacation.   The wicked uncle cannot be found out and _

_foiled before he does something wicked.  Things must happen _

_when it is time for them to happen.  Quests may not simply be_

_abandoned; prophecies may not be left to rot like unpicked _

_fruit; unicorns may go unrescued for a long time, but not forever.  _

_The happy ending cannot come in the middle of the story." _

_Schmendrick asked, "Why not? Who says so?"_

_"Heroes," Prince Lir replied sadly.  -  **Peter S. Beagle  "The Last Unicorn"**_

King Caplyn stood at the window of his throne room looking out over the lush, green valley that was the centerpiece of his kingdom.  No other king in the eight provinces had such a fertile, beautiful location for his castle.  Nor did any other king have such loyal, hard working subjects to fully utilize the bountiful gifts as Caplyn had.  Being a good, wise king, he tried to remember to daily thank the fates that he had been so blessed.  He had riches, health, and a daughter he loved beyond all measure.  If only his wife still survived, then he could have counted himself the luckiest soul ever to exist.  But the loss of his beloved Gwendolyn was the pain that countered his blessings, and though he could not ever claim that he appreciated that balance, he did understand it.  And he did still have Kymberly, his delicate, beautiful daughter to gladden his heart and give him a reason to carry on.

Even now he could hear her clear voice, raised in song as it so often was.  A wise man had once told him that the sweetest music came from a happy heart.  If that was indeed true, then his Kymberly had the happiest heart in his entire kingdom.  Fatherly pride aside, no one would debate that her voice was anything but pure and unusually lovely, just as she herself was.  The king smiled to himself as he realized her voice was drawing nearer his throne room.

"Father, I was looking for you," she declared hurrying up to her parent to give him a kiss and affectionate hug.  She was still but fourteen seasons of age, just on the cusp of young womanhood.  Barely five feet tall, she had long, silky chestnut hair and soft brown eyes that could melt the heart of an ogre.  

"You were, were you?  Why was that, my child?" he asked with a smile.

"Some of my friends are going out tonight to the talent show at the Inn.  May I please go as well?  I'd like to compete in the singing, I need to know if I'm any good," she pleaded.

"My daughter, your voice is by far the fairest in all the kingdom. If you go to this competition you will deny everyone else the chance to win," he began, then stopped as he saw her disappointment.

"It means so very much to you?" he queried gently.

"It does.  I won't tell them who I am, so I'll have a chance to be judged fairly.  Just this one time I'd like to be treated as a normal person.  Please?" she wheedled.  

It wasn't in the king's nature to deny his daughter much, and he all too well remembered his own youth and longing to be 'normal'.

"You must take a small platoon of guards with you," he said sternly, steeling himself against her protest.  "They can dress in casual clothes, but they must be present.  If you can consent to that, then you have my permission."

She squealed in delight, flinging her arms about his neck in joy.  "Thank you, Father!  Thank you so much!"

He patted her back fondly, enjoying her embrace and happiness.  "My only regret at the moment is that I cannot be present to hear you compete.  But that would simply not do at all," he sighed.

"I'll tell you all about it right away, soon as I get home" Kymberly promised as she headed toward the door.  "I have to get ready!"

~*~

Tomas was granted a rare day off by his employer, as a reward for killing the wolf that had been preying on their stock.  The young man decided to spend his day of liberty in town, a special treat for a boy who had been working daily since he was twelve.  Now fifteen, Tomas was already well on his way to his full adult height of six feet, though he had yet to achieve the muscle mass that would give his body a more balanced look.  As it was now he was thin as a string bean.

The teen wandered through the village, content to watch the people milling about, inhaling the savory scent of roasting meat coming from the row of food stalls.  He had no coin, so he steered clear of the food court, fearing his hunger might drive him to steal, which would result in a most terrible punishment when he was caught.  So to avoid that risk he went in the opposite direction, until he spied a sign outside the local Inn advertising a music contest that very night.

"That would be just the thing.  They aren't charging admission, so I can enjoy a pleasant evening of free entertainment," he mumbled to himself contentedly.  Noting that the contest would begin in less than an hour he went inside and found himself a secluded table that still provided a good view of the makeshift stage the singers would be using.  Thankful for his good fortune, he sat down and waited patiently for the show to begin.

~*~

That night young Kymberly sang as never before, and as the last notes drifted away there was a momentary hush from the audience; they were so spellbound they forgot to applaud.  That brief lull nearly broke Kym's heart, but the swell of applause more than made up for the fearful moments she passed.  Still a trifle shaky from nerves, she curtsied formally to the audience before retiring to the backstage area to the welcome congratulations from her friends and the other performers, most of whom had no idea of her true identity.

There were two members of the audience who were especially inspired by the youthful singer.  One sat in a dark alcove, a black cloak drawn around his thin shoulders, a look of intense concentration on his face.  Skullavich knew full well who the girl was, as he knew all royalty by sight.  As a student of black magic, he felt it was his sacred duty to be able to identify all royal family members.  One never knew when a highly placed hostage could prove to be useful.  

But using the girl as a hostage didn't really cross his mind. He simply wanted Kymberly for his own, and was determined he would get her, one way or another.

Young Tomas was similarly affected by Kymberly's performance.  He sat on his chair, staring at the stage she'd occupied, scarcely remembering to breathe.  Never before had he beheld such beauty, never had he heard such incredible music, never had his soul been moved in this manner.  He wondered how he could discover her identity when the soft conversation between two men seated near his table cut into his thoughts.

"Her highness was in rare form tonight, wasn't she?" the first man asked.

"Indeed.  I was a bit put out by being called to duty this evening, but I have to confess it was worth it," the second man concurred.

"The king does right to guard her so closely.  If I had a daughter such as that I'd keep her close too," his companion replied.

"She's the king's daughter?" Tomas whispered to himself.  He got up and stumbled out of the Inn, his mind in turmoil.

"She's a princess, and I'm a nobody.  Less than a nobody.  She'll never even notice me.  Unless..." his expression lightened as an idea occurred to him.  "She may not notice a lowly farmhand, but a hero?  A hero she'd have to notice."

He wandered on, not in the direction he would have to go to return to his former employer, but in the opposite direction, his soul on fire with the determination to become the greatest of heroes.  Only then would he believe himself worthy to seek the hand of the one he loved.

The idea that he might fail, or, worse yet, be killed, never crossed his mind.

~*~

_3 Seasons Later_

Kymberly moved stealthily through the quiet corridors of the palace, stopping frequently to listen for the sounds of pursuit.  The early morning stillness was unbroken by any human sounds so the young woman carefully opened a side door and slipped out into the dimly lit dawn.

At last clear of the palace, she began a quick jog toward the village, secure that her cloak hid her identity from any observers.  Her father didn't approve of her fondness for walking amongst the common folks, hence the necessity of sneaking out at such an ungodly hour.   Ever since she had passed her 17th birthday, she and her father had been at odds more frequently as her youthful impetuousness went against her parent's traditionalism.  He felt that as the future queen, his daughter needed to show a certain restraint, while she chafed more and more under the burden of her duties.  Though he usually came across as stern and unyielding, it was done out of a sense of love and a genuine desire for his daughter to be successful. In his secret heart he applauded her independence and spirit, though convention kept him from telling her so.

Kym never noticed the dark clad figure shadowing her as she neared the village, and was completely unprepared when a rag soaked in some sort of noxious liquid was pressed over her lower face. 

She slumped into the stranger's arms without a struggle.

TBC


	2. Chapter Two

Jason reined in his horse outside the tavern, automatically checking out the surrounding area, looking for anything that seemed the slightest bit suspicious.  He had no reason to expect trouble, but his careful scrutiny of the immediate vicinity was an ingrained habit, the result of both training and, occasionally painful, experience.

Finding nothing amiss, the young man dismounted and loosely tied his weary horse to the provided hitching rail, noting absently that there were seven other horses.  

"This place must be pretty good if this many people are dining here," he mumbled to himself, his stomach grumbling in agreement.  It had been far too long since breakfast.

He entered the dimly lighted building, and immediately sidled to the right of the entrance, his eyes darting around the large room, getting accustomed to the near darkness.  He saw four rough looking men at the bar, and another two well dressed young men sitting at a side table.  Far in the back he spotted a familiar, and welcome, face.  He strode over confidently, gesturing to the proprietor that he would want service while pulling the neckline of his shirt back to show his caste mark to the man.

"Trini, I've got to say this is a pleasant surprise," he smiled at the petite young woman sitting with a dark skinned young man.

"Jason!  By the fates, it's good to see you again.  Have a seat, it's been too long," she replied with a welcoming smile.  "This is Zackary," she added, indicating her companion.

"Thank you, Trini.  Nice to meet you, Zackary," he added, sinking gratefully into the rough chair.  

"What brings you to this humble place?" Trini asked with a sharp look.

"I'm on my way to King Caplyn's court.  Seems there's a princess needs rescuing," he replied casually as the owner set down a large platter of meat and vegetables in front of him.

"Princess Kymberly.  Yes, I'd heard that.  I was considering offering my services, as well.  I met her a few seasons back.  A somewhat flighty girl, but very sweet.  She was organizing a jousting contest to benefit the victims of the spring floods.  You remember how much flooding there was then, right?"

Jason nodded in remembrance.  "Oh, yeah.  Father waived all taxes that season to give the people a chance to get back on their feet again."

"And how is King Olscott?"

"Fine, fine.  Already considering passing the reign to my brother Jacob.  I think he wants an early retirement so he can spend his days fishing and hunting," Jason grinned.

"You're a prince?" Zackary asked, looking at the rather bedraggled young man.

"Yeah, though as the third son it's not a big deal.  My father is King Olscott, our kingdom is to the west," Jason told him in a matter-of-fact manner.  "What about you, Zackary?"

"Oh, I'm not royalty.  I'm of the General Caste; I was working as a court jester when I was taken hostage during a robbery.  Trini here rescued me along with the jewels," he told Jason with a warm smile at the young woman who'd rescued him.

"They wanted the jewels back, but declined to rehire Zackary.  I thought I might be able to convince my uncle to give him a chance," Trini added with a slight smile.

"That sounds good.  If King Hauward doesn't want him, perhaps I can convince my father to give him a job.  Are you any good?" Jason queried with a gleam in his eyes.

"The best.  I can dance, sing, and juggle all at the same time," Zackary told him, leaping to his feet and grabbing four potatoes from Jason's plate.  He began to juggle them adroitly, while dancing with considerable grace.  He added a spirited version of a local song to the routine; singing in a pleasant, mellow voice.  Jason sat back with a grin, enjoying the impromptu show.

With a flurry of motion Zackary concluded his routine and returned his 'props' to Jason's plate.  

"Sorry, I probably shouldn't have used your dinner," he said sheepishly, his breathing a bit labored from his exertions.

"That's okay.  You are good, indeed.  It shouldn't be hard to find you a position."

"I sure hope so.  I hate being without a job.  As it is I'm going to owe Trini three years' wages before we get to where we're going," he replied, looking down a bit shamefacedly.

"I told you I considered I was being paid by the work you've been doing for me," the young woman insisted, giving her traveling companion a stern look.

"Say, you said you were considering seeing King Caplyn, you want to work together on it?  I have a feeling it's going to be a tough one," Jason asked after a moment's consideration.

"I could be amenable to that," Trini smiled back.  "Last time we worked together it went well."

"That it did.  And perhaps King Caplyn can be convinced to give Zackary here a position," Jason suggested.

"Or I could go with you," Zackary put in, hurrying on when he saw the doubtful expressions crossing the faces of his companions.  "I could help you.  I can cook, take care of the horses, and you know, move among the common folks, easier than you two can.  Trini can tell you I'm a good cook," he pleaded his case.

"It could be dangerous, Zackary," Trini pointed out gently.

"I know.  But I don't mind the danger.  You saved my life, I'd like a chance to repay you if possible."

"I don't require repayment.  I told you that.  As a Warrior Priestess of Zahara, I do what I can to help people without regard to any form of payment," Trini chided him gently.

Zackary couldn't articulate why it was so important he be allowed to accompany Trini and Jason on their mission, but deep inside him something just knew he had to.  "I understand that. There's no way I could repay you for saving my life anyway, I can't give a value to that.  But I still want to go," he insisted stubbornly.

Trini looked at him searchingly, then sighed before turning to Jason.  "Looks like you have two to help you, if that's agreeable."

Jason smiled warmly at them both.  "Sounds good to me.  Let's get some rest and we can start fresh in the morning."

They reached the castle late the next morning, having made good time despite the fact Zackary had to ride double behind Trini.  Jason noted he would have to arrange for a mount for Zackary if the young man still insisted in accompanying them, riding double would slow them down too much.  Jason's name and reputation easily granted them an audience with the distraught king, who was pale with worry and looking much older than Jason remembered.

"Jason, I've heard of your exploits.  I'd be most pleased to have your assistance in rescuing my daughter.  Anything you need to help you, I will provide.  Any reward you demand for your success I will grant.  I just want Kymberly back, safe and whole."

Before Jason could respond, another voice chimed in from the corner.

"I thought you were going to let me do this."  The tone was quiet enough, but there was still a hint of anger in it.

"Tomas, this is Jason.  He's the third son of King Olscott; his reputation is unparalleled.  He has never failed to do exactly what he promises to do.  He's offered his services, I'd be a fool to turn him down," King Caplyn said quietly.  He stood quietly for a moment, thinking, as the two young men regarded each other warily.

"Jason," the king said, obviously coming to a decision.  "I would like for you and Tomas to work together on this.  Please, I can't help but feel it will double your chances to find my daughter.  I understand you both usually work alone, but I would appreciate if you would make an exception in this case.  Kymberly needs you both."

The two young men slowly circled each other, each taking the other's measure, both reluctantly impressed.  Jason was the shorter of the two, but his sheer muscular bulk was enough to give anyone pause.  Tommy's strength was less obvious, the muscles stretched out over a larger area, but visible nonetheless.  

Jason saw a young man who had a certain native charm and ease with the world that he'd always lacked.  Tomas might not have been born to a high caste, but that was simply a quirk of fate, from what Jason could see.  Tomas had the bearing and air of nobility, if not the birthright.  Those traits combined with a certain burning hunger, a driving force, in the longhaired young man that gave him a slightly dangerous air, which complemented the charm.  But his attitude toward Jason was bold, but not aggressive.

Tomas saw in Jason all the things he wished he'd been allotted in life: the inborn confidence that came from knowing there was little, if anything, in the world that could be denied him.  Tomas could tell with a glance that his rival had never spent long nights trying to sleep despite the hunger knawing in his belly, nor had he walked to work in the fields barefoot in the snow because shoes cost far too much to replace.  Yet, the expression behind the cautious eyes was not arrogant, but warm and caring.  The dark haired young man might have been born 'with a silver spoon in his mouth,' but he didn't use that to beat anyone down.

Jason cautiously smiled at Tomas, and was pleased to see a return smile sent his way, the expression on the narrow face accepting.

"It shall be as you wish," Jason said formally to King Caplyn.

"Thank you, and may the fates smile upon you both and bless your efforts.  What do you need of me?"

"Trini and Zackary will be joining us as well.  If Tomas has his own mount, then just two more horses with full tack, and enough funds to purchase one for Kymberly when we rescue her.  Tomas?"  Jason turned to the Tomas with a curious expression.

"No, I have everything I need," he murmured.

"Great, then if you can get someone to bring us the extra horses we can be on our way," Jason said, accepting the pouch of money from one of the King's servants.

"The horses are being fetched as we speak, and there is more money there than is needed for a horse.  Please, Jason, use it for food, supplies, shelter, whatever you may need.  It is in my best interest that you all be well fed and healthy to rescue my Kymberly, so do not hesitate to spend it," the king implored them, satisfied when Jason nodded in acceptance then indicated to the others that they should get on their way.

There had been no witnesses to Kymberly's kidnapping; no ransom demand had been made.  However, there were ways and means of finding out who had taken the princess, and where she was being held.  No one could commit such a crime and not cause a ripple in the fabric of fate; a ripple that could be followed to its source by one who is sensitive to such things.  And both Tomas and Jason knew prophets who could help them.

"You have a plan?" Tomas asked as they rode out, Zackary now riding his own horse, the extra one being led.  The former farmhand wasn't exactly thrilled to find himself following Jason's lead, but he was sensible enough to know they were more likely to succeed together than apart.  And succeeding in Kymberly's rescue was definitely the most important thing at this point.  So Tomas bit back any mutinous remarks and followed Jason's orders, though he knew that if he felt Jason was wrong he would not hesitate to disobey and follow his own instincts. 

"I do.  There is a prophetess a day's ride from here who is a devoted subject of King Caplyn's.  She would be most sensitive to anything concerning him or his daughter. She'd be our best bet to get a lead on where she was taken," Jason replied with an easy confidence.

"That seems to be a sound plan.  If she's loyal to King Caplyn then she would be the best one to see.  May I ask why we have the extra horse?" Tomas queried.

"We're picking up someone else.  He doesn't own a horse," Jason informed them.  "He's only slightly out of our way, and we will find him extremely helpful."

They were heading into the deepest part of the forest, in places the trees grew so close together that even a child could not pass easily between them.  The sounds of myriad small woodland creatures provided a soothing background for the peaceful splendor of the woods.  

The clearing with its small cabin huddled on the northern side was as unexpected as it was welcome.  The forest could make almost anyone claustrophobic, and all were grateful to see the sky once again arcing above them.  

"Who would want to live in such an isolated place?" Zack wondered from his position riding next to Trini.  

"Someone who doesn't want a lot of visitors, that's for certain," the warrior priestess replied, smiling a little at her companion.  Zackary was one of the most social people she'd ever met, she could appreciate how he would wonder about someone living this far from civilization.

"Let me see if he's at home," Jason said, indicating the others should stop a ways from the cabin while he rode on alone.  The burly young man stopped his horse and dismounted, walking to the base of the porch steps before calling out in a carrying voice.  

"Will?  Will, are you here?  It's Jason."

They saw the door open just a crack, and sensed a presence in the darkness beyond, and for just a moment the three who were still a distance away felt an peculiar fear.  There was the oddest atmosphere around the small dwelling, and the three who waited for Jason found themselves wondering for a moment if the house was even real; and if it was, what sort of being lived there.  Then the door opened the rest of the way and the occupant stepped out on the porch into the sunlight.

Their apprehension turned to mild embarrassment as they could see the slight young man posed no threat.  The slim body was encased in dark blue pants and a loose white shirt, he carried no weapons they could see, and his whole stance was tentative and nervous.

"Jason," the soft voice was pleased sounding.  "What brings you out here?"

"Princess Kymberly has been kidnapped.  We are going to rescue her, and I thought if you weren't busy perhaps you could help."

"You know you have but to ask, Jason.  Let me gather a few things."  With that the mysterious young man went back inside, shutting the door, only to emerge in a couple of minutes carrying a bedroll and with a carry-bag hooked over one shoulder.

"Do you have a mount for me?"  

Wordlessly Jason handed the reins to the extra horse over, and watched as the other tied his supplies behind the saddle and mounted.  His three traveling companions rode forward to meet him.

"Will, this is Tomas, Trini, and Zack.  This is Will, he's a wizard and healer," Jason announced, his expression serious.

"Amateur wizard and healer," Will corrected quietly.  "And it's nice to meet you."

The greeting was returned as they turned as one and continued south to find the prophetess who would hopefully direct them to the missing princess.

tbc


	3. Chapter Three

Keeping up the regular Sunday update….thanks for the reviews…I'm glad folks have enjoyed the trip so far, and hope they continue to do so!  On that note, on with the story….

Part Three

The prophetess lived in a humble shack on the edge of a bustling village, and the five travelers noticed that no one passed too close to the small building.  They dismounted, and leaving Zackary to hold the horses, approached the front door.

The woman who answered their knock was young and petite and as dark as Zackary; her bright, wise eyes seeming to see deep inside each of them.

"I wondered when you would get involved in this, Jason," she said at last.

"Tawnea, it is a pleasure as always to see you," Jason replied formally, bowing slightly.  "I would request your help in a matter of some urgency."

"You're looking for Princess Kymberly," the prophetess announced firmly.  "Well come on in, this isn't a show for the villagers."

"Finding the princess is not going to present that much of a difficulty, Jason," she announced once they were settled around her kitchen table.  "She was grabbed by Skullavich, that much I know for certain.  He's a black wizard, and quite talented so I've heard.  Though Will would probably know more."  She turned her sharp gaze to the light haired young man.

"Skullavich has strong powers, that is true. But he isn't wise in the ways of subtlety or deception.  This can be used against him.  Or, so I've heard," Will said, looking up quickly at Jason, but otherwise keeping his gaze firmly glued to his folded hands.

"I've heard he is now in North East Garnet, holed up in the woods to the south of town," Tawnea provided.  "That would be the best place to start."

"Tawnea, thank you.  Is there something I can do for you in return for your help?"  Jason asked.

The dark young woman reached over and rested one warm palm against the side of his face in a gesture of affection, while she regarded him with an odd sadness.  "No, my friend.  Just go in peace."

"Thank you," he repeated, unsettled by the look on her face.  "We'd better get going, we can make it to North East Garnet by midday tomorrow if we hurry," he declared, shaking off the feeling.

"Thank you," Tomas repeated, giving the small woman a searching look.  "We'll bring her back safely."

"I'm sure you will," Tawnea agreed as Will and Trini filed past her, following Jason out the door.

"What did you find out?" Zackary asked Jason anxiously, as he passed the reins to each of his companions.

"We're heading to North East Garnet.  Let's mount up and move out."

~*~

That evening found the five rescuers at a small tavern in one of the many nameless villages they had passed through.  Hungry and saddle sore, they were grateful to find a warm, comfortable place to rest and refresh themselves.

"I'll find a place just outside the village, near that stream we just passed, for myself," Will said, surprising the others.

Even more surprising was the fact that Jason did not argue with him.  "Okay, I'll bring you some dinner in a while. Will you need anything else?"

"Dinner would be fine.  Thank you."  Without further comment the blond turned his horse toward the outskirts of the village and disappeared from sight among the trees.

"What?  He doesn't like this place for some reason?" Tomas asked with mild irritation.

"Will doesn't like to stay in any place.  He's quite shy, doesn't go in public places unless he absolutely has to.  Now, let's see about getting a meal and procuring some rooms to sleep in," Jason decided.

As they walked into the warm, fragrant interior, each of them pulled the left shoulder of their shirt back, showing their caste marks.  The owner glanced them over quickly, then indicated they could have their pick of seats amongst the mismatched tables and chairs.

"Be with you in a second," he told them, continuing on his way to the back room, which was apparently the kitchen, judging from the smells coming from there.

"Hope the food's better than the service or the décor," Zackary commented as he took a seat beside Trini.  

"Smells like it might be," she smiled at him, leaning back wearily in her seat.  "I hope he provides bathing facilities, I could use a soak in a hot tub."

"You didn't have much time between adventures, did you?" Jason asked with a grin.  "I'll ask about it.  I could use a bath myself.  Who knows when we may get another chance, right?"

The proprietor brought them a round of ale, and a warm loaf of bread to start with, followed by thick slabs of meat surrounded by assorted roasted vegetables.  Zackary's wish was granted: the food was far better than the service, and the four of them ate until they felt near bursting.  Jason piled a generous portion on his now empty plate and covered it with a clean napkin, setting it aside to take to Will.   Requesting rooms for the four of them, along with fresh, hot baths, Jason pulled out the pouch King Caplyn had provided, waving off Tomas's attempt to pay for part.

"He wanted us to have decent meals and accommodations, and I see no reason to turn his generosity down," he said gently, realizing that Zackary had no money at all, and having noticed that Tomas's money pouch was suspiciously flat.

Tomas looked a little uncomfortable, but couldn't see a way to object that didn't make him sound like an ungrateful fool.  So he sighed, and followed Zackary and Trini upstairs to the rooms, while Jason strode purposefully toward the edge of the village to find Will.

~*~

Will had made his camp at the base of a thick stand of trees, providing protection from the elements and privacy from casual passers-by.  A small fire provided a bit of light and warmth, and his horse was tethered nearby, enjoying a full meal of succulent grass.  Jason looked around with satisfaction, before settling down on the dry leaves and handing Will his dinner.

"Not too bad, Will.  Good location, defensible," he noted critically.

"I was just looking for a place that wouldn't be hit too badly with the morning dew and where no one would notice me.  You know I don't fight," Will commented, digging into his meal.  "Thanks, by the way.  This is excellent."

"You're quite welcome.  And you do too fight. Just not in a real obvious way. Passive resistance could be considered fighting," the dark haired young man replied.  "Are you going to use your perimeter spell to protect yourself?"

"Hmph, probably.  So don't sneak up on me in the morning.  What do you make of Tomas?  When did you hook up with him?" Will asked curiously, changing the subject.

"He was already at King Caplyn's when I got there.  I guess he was there to offer his services.  King Caplyn asked us to work together, and we couldn't really refuse.  After all, all the man wants it to get his daughter back safe and sound, and if us working together will accomplish that, who am I to argue?"  

"But, you aren't exactly thrilled about it," the blond observed.

"I don't know, Will!"  Jason stood up and paced the small area.  "I'm used to choosing my own companions, not having them thrust upon me.  And Tomas, and Zackary for that matter, were not in my original plan.  Trini was as soon as I encountered her at the Inn, and you were.  But Tomas and Zackary, they weren't.  But, Will, it feels _right_, somehow.  Their being here is right, and I don't know why.  How can that be? What's at work here? And I'll tell you something else.  I think this is going to be more than a simple rescue mission.  Something else is at stake here.  Do you have any ideas?"  The dark eyes were tormented as he looked at his friend.  Jason was a man who was used to knowing what was at stake, what needed to be done and how.  Having control over the situation.  And this time he could feel the control eluding him.

"Not yet, Jason.  But if I do figure it out, you will be the first to know, alright?  Now, you should probably be getting back there, before they start to worry about you," Will grinned, handing back his empty plate.

"You'll be okay here?" Jason queried, concern clear in those dark eyes.

"Yes, I'm fine.  It's not like I've never done this before," he pointed out quietly.  

"See you tomorrow, Jason."

~*~

Tomas settled back on his bed, almost nervously, as if he expected someone to barge through the door and kick him out.  He wouldn't have admitted it to anyone, but while he'd stayed at an inn on rare occasions in the past, he'd never spent it around royalty or nobility, and he wasn't completely certain as to the correct behavior.  Still, the bed was quite comfortable, the meal had been both delicious and plentiful, and the bath warm and soothing.  He felt himself relaxing toward sleep as his mind wandered over the last few days.

He couldn't say he was pleased when he heard Kymberly had been kidnapped, but a part of him had been encouraged by the chance to rescue her, to at the very least spend some time near her and maybe even talk a little.  That was the dream his practical mind set in front of him, as it had since he'd first seen her.

However, in Tomas's secret soul, a fantasy he'd harbored those three years sprang to renewed life.  In this fantasy, he rode to Kym's rescue, his daring and courage bringing a flush of admiration to her beautiful face.  His heroic actions allowed the princess to look beyond his lowly station in life to the noble and worthy person he was inside, and she would be certain to declare her undying love for him.  She would win her father's approval for Tomas and they would be free to marry and live happily ever after.  That was his greatest secret, and it was that part of him that rebelled at the addition of Jason and the others into the rescue mission.  

Without conscious thought he idly ran his fingers over the caste brand on his left shoulder.  He'd seen the others' brands earlier, and he had mixed feelings about his status in the group.

All eight provinces used the same caste system, and had since known time, as far as Tomas knew.  From earliest childhood all citizens were taught the significance of each caste brand, and what their place in society was.

The highest caste was the Royal Caste, which was reserved only for kings and their direct, linear descendants.  Jason, and Kymberly for that matter, were both of the Royal Caste.  Though the system was a patriarchy, Kymberly, as the only offspring, could serve as queen until producing a male heir and having that son reach the age of sixteen.  The Royal Caste was the smallest, most exclusive, of the castes.

The Noble Caste was the next highest, consisting of non-linear descendants of royalty.  Trini's caste brand put her in this caste.  Though he had not been present at the Inn, Tomas suspected Will was of the Noble Caste as well.  Romantic relationships were generally only allowed within one caste 'step', and close friendships like Jason and Will seemed to enjoy generally followed the same rules.  It was simply too unusual for anyone of Royal Caste to socialize with anyone of less than Noble Caste status.

The next in line was the Privileged Caste, which consisted of landowners, wealthy merchants, and those who could trace their relations to the Royal Caste in the distant past.  

The largest caste was the General Caste, to which both Tomas and Zackary were born.  The General Caste were the workers, the ones who provided the crops, supplies, and services that were needed by everyone.  By far the largest caste, there was a subtle, unspoken hierarchy within it, and any perceived superiority was jealously guarded.

Those of higher castes, usually those of the Royal Caste or Noble Caste, owned those who were members of the Slave Caste.  Provided with security in the form of food and shelter; slaves were treated on a par with most valuable farm animals.  They had no rights or privileges outside what their owners allowed.

The lowest of all were the Outcastes, thought of as the equivalent of human refuse.  Essentially unemployable except for the most dangerous or undesirable positions, and even then at far less than someone of a higher caste would earn.  They were barred from almost every shop except a very few who catered to 'their kind', most outcastes lived in hovels outside villages, subjected to abuse both verbal and physical.  Even those who were taken in to act as slaves were treated worse than those born to the Slave Caste.  Outcastes that were born to the caste had no brand at all, while those who were sentenced to the caste due to capital crimes, had their brand removed, leaving only a telltale scar.

In a mixed caste marriage, the children were deemed the caste of the father, and generally changing castes was not possible.  Only a king could raise someone's caste, and then only under the most extraordinary circumstances.  A child was branded with the mark of his caste in his first year, and the brands were designed to grow with the child's growth.  The lower caste brands were designed so that if a promotion to a higher caste was granted, the brand would simply be elaborated on, not recreated.  Therefore, Royal Caste brands were larger and more detailed than the lower castes.

This was the system Tomas, and the others, had grown up with, he knew of no other way, and saw nothing wrong with the system, save the fact his caste was far lower than he would have liked.  That was why he dreamed of so impressing King Caplyn that he'd be granted the maximum two-caste promotion. That would make him Noble Caste, and a relationship with Kymberly would be possible.  

Lost in the dream of a future filled with a tiny, doe eyed girl with the voice of an angel, Tomas drifted asleep, reveling in the unfamiliar splendor of a soft, warm bed under a solid roof.

tbc


	4. Chapter Four

See Part One for notes and disclaimer

Part Four

The Vision Sphere had been a gift of sorts, left to Skullavich by his mentor upon his untimely death.  The dark wizard used the Sphere's unique ability to protect himself, and to aid and abet his various schemes to increase his wealth and power.  Currently he was using it's powers to determine if anyone was looking for Kymberly, and if so who, and how that knowledge could help him.

He'd been extremely disappointed in Kymberly.  After going to so much trouble to take her, and then to set up a nice suite of rooms for her use, she was completely ungrateful and abusive.  Three days of her constant complaints, verbal attacks, and disrespectful attitude, and he'd decided he had been a bit hasty in falling for her.  But, he had her in his possession, and there might still be some way he could benefit from his so far wasted efforts.

The Sphere showed five people heading toward his stronghold, and of the five, he recognized three.  Jason was known to him, all too well; they'd crossed paths before, much to Skullavich's misfortune.  Tomas was also a known adversary, and though he'd only encountered the young man once, he had left the skirmish hoping to never see Tomas again.  As for Trini, that young lady had been a thorn in Skullavich's side for years, since childhood's mock battles, and he had yet to emerge as victor.  The other two young men were unknown to their unseen observer, but that didn't mean the dark wizard would discount them as easy.  If they were good enough to be traveling with Jason, Tomas and Trini, then they were to be respected.

It was his recognition, and respect, of the approaching rescuers that gave Skullavich the idea for his plan.  He'd let them rescue Kymberly; heck, he'd let her go and meet them before they even got all the way here, that'd be even better.  But first, he had to make sure she had the appropriate 'going away gift'.  He gave his distinctive manic giggle at his witticism, the sound grating on the nerves of anyone who heard it. 

He crossed to the tall cabinet in the corner, admiring yet again the delicate craftsmanship of the elaborate design carved on it.  He used a special key to unlock the lower right drawer, then reverently opened the flat box he'd withdrawn.  Inside, held secure by a special molded insert, was the Collar of Garrotidus, gleaming with malevolent beauty.  He took the box with him as he went to Kymberly's suite of rooms, plastering an appropriately penitent look on his face.

"My Lady," he said in is most obsequious tone.  "I have erred in abducting you, I see now you can never be happy with the likes of me."  

"You're right about that," Kymberly muttered, looking suspiciously at her captor.  

Skullavich ignored her comments, and instead diffidently approached the princess, opening the box as he spoke.  "There is a group of rescuers approaching, Jason and Tomas are among the group.  You have heard of them, yes?"  At her nod he continued.  "You can meet them, they will take you home to your father.  But first, I would like to offer this shining trinket as a token of my continued, albeit unreciprocated, admiration for you."

Kym's eyes fell on the shining band of metal, a desire to see how it would look around her own delicate neck overriding any small voice of caution that might have been heard.  She picked it up and examined it carefully, turning curious eyes to Skullavich.

"How does it fasten?" she asked at last.

"The metal is extremely flexible.  When you put it on, just push the two ends toward each other," he advised her, keeping his expression carefully neutral.

She did as he instructed, and when she pushed the two ends toward each other they snapped together like a metal to magnet, melding together seamlessly as a pulse of red glowed from the collar.

"What?  What just happened?" Kym gasped, trying to pull the two ends apart.

"What just happened is you are going to find out the price of rejecting a wizard, little girl.  You are now wearing the Collar of Garrotidus, and only the Key of Integrity can set you free.  Each day the collar will get a little smaller- just a tiny bit, mind you-until at last, if not removed, it will choke the life from you.  It will continue to shrink until it finally becomes a solid disk, effectively...well...you get the idea," he finished cruelly, seeing her pale in fear.

"Please!  Please, take this off me," she pleaded, turning tear-filled eyes to him.

"Were you not listening?  I can't. Only the Key of Integrity can release it, and that is stored inside the monolith near Seraph Mountain.  You will have the find the Portent Orbs to open the monolith.  Now, let me show you out," the dark wizard said with false courtesy, his hurt pride soothed by her obvious fear.

~*~

Tomas was riding slowly, concentrating on finding any sign of Skullavich's lair, his companions out of sight, spread out to achieve maximum coverage of the area where he was rumored to be living.  The sound of someone or something crashing through the underbrush brought him off his horse and on the ground with sword drawn.  He turned toward the sound just as a small figure stumbled into view, causing him to sheath his blade with a mumbled curse.  He recognized her immediately, there was no way he would mistake the beauty that had occupied his dreams for three seasons.  That she was disheveled, and more than a little terrified, did nothing to dim her loveliness, and seeing her distress brought out every protective instinct he possessed.

"Easy, Princess, you're okay.  Get behind me here and I'll protect you from whoever or whatever is pursuing you," he said, pulling the petite figure safely behind him.

Kym had looked up to catch a glimpse of her ideal of masculine beauty; tall, with long hair, and warm brown eyes in a handsome face.  She found herself behind a surprisingly strong, broad back before she even had a chance to protest.

"He's not coming, at least I don't think he is," she said when she'd caught her breath.  When Skullavich had released her she'd run away, in a blind panic, heedless of the fact he didn't wish to pursue her.  As soon as she'd been freed, all the fears she'd held so closely at bay had returned at full strength, and that had fueled her flight more than anything.  Now in the presence of someone else, she could pause and regroup.

"Are you sure?" he queried, even as he strained to listen, scanning the forest closely, yet finding no sign of pursuit.

"Pretty sure.  He did what he wanted to, there was...is...no need for him to follow me," she reported, her voice subdued.  That lifeless tone got Tomas's attention faster than a shout would have.

"What's wrong? What did he do to you? Are you hurt?" he asked, gripping the slim shoulders tight in his sudden fear.

"He did this," she murmured, running one tentative finger over the metal ring around her neck.  It was very loose, hanging down even with her collarbones, but if what Skullavich said was true, it wouldn't be that way for long.

"It's very pretty," he began, confused when tears shimmered in her eyes.

"It's going to kill me," she whispered, unable to meet Tomas's concerned gaze.  She knew if she saw sorrow or sympathy in his look, she'd lose all control, and she didn't want that to happen.

"I don't understand.  But, whatever it is, we'll help you."

She looked up at his confident tone.  "You sound so sure," she said with mild wonder.

"Ah, Princess, don't you know?  That makes you a 'damsel in distress', which is what heroes specialize in.  And I'm a hero, so's Jason, so that makes two heroes.  Plus, a warrior priestess.  And an apprentice wizard/healer," he smiled as her incredulous look.  "And, I saved the best for last; a court jester!"

She couldn't suppress a slightly wobbly giggle at that addition.  She looked up at her unexpected rescuer, gratitude shining in her eyes.  "Thank you.  Do you really think they will help?"

"I'm certain of it.  Let's go tell them you're away from Skullavich, and maybe one of them will know what we need to do to get you free of that collar.  Come on, Princess, we'll take care of you, you can count on that."

~*~

"I can see no way to remove it," Will said quietly, after carefully examining the glittering gold necklace Kymberly was wearing.  "Did he mention what it was called? Anything about how to remove it?" he asked quietly.  Tomas had quickly notified them that he had found the missing princess, and they had regrouped to find the young woman tearing again at the ring around her neck.

"He...he called it the Collar of Garrotus, I think," she said, struggling to contain her fear in the face of these strangers, regardless of how friendly and sympathetic they seemed.

"Collar of Garrotidus?"  Will's expression was very serious when he asked that question.

"Yes.  That's it. Garrotidus.  He said only the Key of Integrity would release it, and if it's not removed it will choke me to death, and...worse..." she couldn't help the sudden sob of fear, remembering what Skullavich had implied would happen.  Tomas, who had been standing close by her side while Will checked out the collar, pulled the slight girl into a comforting embrace, vowing silently that no harm would come to her as long as he lived.

"Ah, well, yes, I've heard of the legends," the light haired young man murmured, turning a worried expression to Jason.  

"The Key of Integrity is in a monolith at the base of Seraph Mountain, which can only be opened with the Portent Orbs, according to legend," Trini contributed.  "There are six orbs, and all six are needed to open the monolith.  In the meantime the Collar of Garrotidus will get progressively tighter."  The young woman's beautiful face was serene, despite the grim report.

"Where are these Portent Orbs? Can we find them?" Jason queried calmly.

"I know where two of them are," Trini reported.  "One is near East Amber, in my Uncle's province, the other in South Sapphire, where Queen Katherine is ruler until she produces a king.  I'm not sure about the others."

"The others are in South East Onyx, North West Ruby, West Diamond, South West Rose Quartz.  Or so the reports have said.  Each is guarded by a creature or person or mechanism that protects it from any attempt to remove it," Will continued in his steady manner.  "It will be a considerable challenge to procure them."

Jason and Tomas exchanged a look of carefully suppressed optimism.  Trini and Will had given the facts in a manner that seemed to suggest that their attempting to claim the orbs was a foregone conclusion, and neither Zackary nor Kymberly had disagreed.

"I'm familiar with those villages, and unless my memory is completely faulty, we will be traveling in what amounts to a large circle, right?" Jason clarified.

"That's true," Trini smiled at his look.  And Seraph Mountain, as we all know, is in the middle, at the apex of all the provinces."  The eight provinces were each roughly triangular in shape, an arial view of their borders make them look like nothing so much as a very large pie cut into eight pieces.

"Okay, we'll take Kymberly back to her father, then we should start with North West Ruby, since it would be closest from her father's castle..." Jason began.

"No!" The commanding tone got all their attentions.  "You are NOT going to return me to my father's home so I can sit there wondering when and how I will die thanks to that demented wizard.  No, I'm going with you; I'll help you in any way I can.  But I am NOT going to sit idly by while you all risk life and limb to save me.  Now, that means it's more logical to start at East Amber, right?" Kym finished with a challenging look at Jason.

"Your Highness, it could be very dangerous," Jason replied, hoping she would see reason.

"I understand it may be dangerous, I accept that.  What I will not accept is being sent home.  And, drop the 'Your Highness' stuff, I'm Kymberly, or Kym, NOT 'Your Highness'.  Please.  Unless you want to be addressed in the same manner?" she asked pointedly.  Her fear had dissipated in her irritation that Jason and the others wanted to send her home like a child, when she knew...just knew...that she would be needed.  She didn't understand it, but she was absolutely certain that she had to go with the others on their quest for the Portent Orbs.

Jason found himself re-evaluating the petite princess who glared at him with flashing eyes.  He'd thought her pretty enough, but easily intimidated and thoroughly cowed by the dark wizard's actions. This show of spirit and determination was unexpected, but very welcome; it seemed to galvanize them all.  He felt the first faint stirrings in the vicinity of his heart and tried his best to shut them down.  It was obvious that Tomas was very taken with the young Royal, and since Tomas was now a friend, there was no way Jason could attempt any courting of Kym without betraying his new friend.

Resolutely quashing his budding feelings, he quickly took the lead, heading toward East Amber and the first of the Portent Orbs.

~*~

That night they made camp near the border of East Province, on the bank of a meandering river, surrounded by majestic trees.  The clearing was just large enough for them all to have room to sleep with a proper distance between the boys and girls, while another, smaller, nearby clearing provided grass for their weary horses.

Somehow, with a minimum of conversation, everyone seemed to find their own 'job' to do; Zackary started gathering supplies for dinner, while Will kindled the fire and tended the horses.  Tomas and Jason both set out to fish, hoping to catch enough to feed them all, while Trini and Kymberly laid out all the bedrolls.  

Zackary proved to be as talented at cooking as he was at juggling, and the dinner he served up was delicious.  Conversation was lively, as Trini and Zackary regaled the others with details of how they met at the thieves' hideaway.  Kymberly sat beside Tomas, sneaking quick peeks at him during the meal, part of her wishing they were alone together.

The young princess had led a very sheltered life, despite her forays into town to mingle amongst the local citizens.  She had never met anyone with the aura of danger that lingered around Tomas, yet despite that she could not deny her attraction to the young man.  His clothing was rough and well worn, his strong, sure hands told of a life of labor and riding.  Still, she could easily picture him in the fine attire worn by those who attended her father's court, leading her on to the dance floor, where they would be the envy of all who saw them.   

~*~

"This is your uncle's province, isn't it?" Zackary asked Trini as they rode over rolling hills covered with lush, thick grass.

"Yes, King Hauward rules over the East Province," the raven-haired girl replied, looking around with a wistful expression.  "I grew up not that far from here."

"It's nice, though I'm used to more forests and mountains," Kym commented from where she rode near Tomas.  They had stopped in North East Garnet to purchase a mount for the princess, and she'd picked out a spirited gray mare.

"How familiar are you with the town we're heading to?" Tomas wondered.

"Very familiar.  The Temple of Zahara is there; it's where I trained to become a warrior priestess.  I must stop there; pay my respects to the teachers.  Perhaps I can find out where the orb might be, it would make it easier if we at least knew for certain where to look."

"Seems like a good plan.  The rest of us can find a place to stay for the night, it's too late to start searching today.  Where can you meet us tomorrow?" Jason wanted to know.

"I'll meet you by midday at the fountain at the center of town," Trini decided, turning her horse toward the south of the town they were now approaching.

"Okay.  And Trini?"  The young woman turned toward Jason with a curious expression.  "Be careful, alright?"

"I will, Jason.  There's nothing for me to fear at the Temple."

tbc


	5. Chapter Five

For notes and disclaimer see Chapter One

Chapter Five

"So you have returned at last, to bring joy to an old man's heart," the voice was rough with age and gentle with affection.

Trini stood in the doorway, noting the robed figure had not turned before speaking.  "Master Mantis, I see your ear is a quick as ever."

"A blessing for a man as old as I am," the master replied, turning at last to look at his most prized pupil.  "As is the sight of you a blessing I must remember to be thankful for."

"I've missed you.  Not a day has gone by that I've not thought of you, that I've not been grateful for the lessons you gave me, the perfection you demanded.  You have saved my life more times than I can count," she said in a formal tone, but her eyes misted as she looked up at her teacher and mentor.

"Ah, I must hear of your adventures.  Come.  Sit.  Have a meal with an old man and tell him tales from beyond the walls he scarcely dares to leave."  The Zahara Master rang a small bell, requesting a light meal be delivered to his quarters as Trini looked curiously at the statuettes adorning a shelf above the fireplace.

"There are more than there used to be," she observed.

"I have many friends, they send me new ones from time to time.  Come.  I want to hear your adventures."  He urged her to sit on the soft carpet in the center of the sparsely furnished room while he lowered himself to the floor on the other side of the low table.  They had no sooner settled when the servant arrived with steaming bowls of soup, earthen mugs of fragrant tea, and an assortment of fresh fruits, cheese, and a loaf of still-warm bread.

Trini did as requested, and told of her various exploits since leaving the temple eighteen moons before.  Master Mantis listened quietly, only asking an occasional question to clarify one point or another, letting her set the pace of her tale.  The dishes had long since been cleared and the sun was setting before she finished, ending with the story of their rescue of Kymberly.

The master sat quietly, obviously deep in thought, his eyes distant as he contemplated the tales he'd heard.  Trini was content to sit quietly, her heart at peace in the familiar presence.  She had come to the Temple at age seven, a bit younger than most disciples, but such was her determination and dedication that waiting seemed a waste of time.  She knew - had always known it seemed - that being a warrior priestess was what she was destined to be.  Her mother, born poor in the Privileged Caste, had married into the Nobility Caste to try to better the family situation.  But, hearts being unconcerned with finances, she'd managed to marry one of the poorer of that caste, leaving her virtually no better off than before.  Because of that 'genteel poverty' Trini's older sisters had been groomed from earliest childhood to try to secure a wealthy mate, an ambition the practical minded Trini eschewed.  She didn't want her future to hinge on a man, she wanted to be responsible for her own destiny, at least as much as was possible in a male dominated society.  And she had succeeded, far better than any other student Master Mantis had trained.  Which made the current situation so intriguing.

"Do you know where the Portent Orbs are?" the master queried.

"I think so.  At least, between Will and me, we know where they are supposed to be," she replied.

"So you know one is rumored to be here in East Amber, correct?  Do you know where it is within the area?"

"I knew one is supposed to be around this area, but not where exactly.  I was hoping you could help me with that," she said after considering the question.

"Perhaps I can, child.  But that is dangerous knowledge, not to be given lightly.  You will have to prove yourself worthy.  Will have to prove you know the difference between what is perceived, and what is real," he said at last.

"How can I prove that?"

"We will talk more in the morning.  Discuss the details.  In the meantime, your old room awaits.  Sleep well, Trini."  His voice held an unmistakable dismissal, which she heeded without protest, rising gracefully and striding toward the doorway.

"Meet me in the gardens at dawn," the master requested without looking and without waiting for an answer.  Not that one was forthcoming.

They both knew she'd be there.

She'd always been there, wherever her Master requested her.  Her Uncle Hauward, king of East Province, was the one who noticed the light of honor that shone in his niece's eyes, and it was he who convinced her reluctant parents to allow their daughter to pursue a different path than most young women chose.  He was familiar with the Temple of Zahara, knew many of the Masters, and realized his niece would benefit from their teachings.  He used his influence to gain her approval as a disciple at an early age, and for that Trini would be forever grateful.  

Under the tutelage of the Masters, Trini absorbed lessons as a sponge does water, each bit of information served, not to satisfy her hunger, but to feed it.  Answers only led to more questions...

_"The tree must be cut back when the season turns cold, so it may grow anew when the weather turns fair again," the Garden Master lectured her. _

_"What happens if it is not trimmed?" Trini wondered, her ten-year-old face wrinkled in thought.  "Will it not simply grow larger each season?  Is that not what you taught me about the growing seasons?"_

_"It is, child.  But sometimes things must be cut back, excess removed, to allow for growth.  Can you think of a way that could apply to your life as well?"_

_The girl sat quietly, much to the Master's relief, allowing him to concentrate on his task._

_"It would be as if I never gave away any of my belongings, but instead kept everything I'd ever possessed.  Soon my room would be filled to overflowing, and there would be no more room for me to sleep or meditate.  By removing the older things that are no longer needed, I allow room for new items, and for me to do the things I need to in order to be healthy.  Is that correct?" she asked, looking up at the old man._

_"Very much so," he agreed, impressed with her answer.  Trini didn't know it, but she was quite the talk of the Masters, all of whom felt they had a disciple of rare and extraordinary potential in their midst.  Great care was being taken to ensure she received all the instruction and encouragement they could possibly provide, and many a spirited debate arose over what lessons should be offered to the raven-haired girl with the serene eyes._

_All Trini knew was that she was in a place where she felt more at home than she ever had with her family, despite her love for them.  There was nothing the Masters could ask that she would not be willing to try to provide.  _

_Especially Master Mantis...._

~*~

The Inn in East Amber was larger, with better amenities than the one in North East Garnet had been, and Tomas was deciding he could definitely grow to enjoy the nicer things in life, like sleeping in a warm bed every night.  Though he'd developed a sterling reputation as a hero, he still usually lived hand to mouth, and luxuries such as spending time in well run inns were simply not in his budget.  

So, wandering downstairs, freshly bathed and comfortably full from a good meal, he felt on top of the world.  He nodded his greeting to the innkeeper, and stepped outside to get a breath of the fresh night air.  He wandered aimlessly down the street, feeling no sense of danger in this peaceful town, in fact, he felt a pervading sense of serenity and wondered if it was the result of having the Temple of Zahara there.

Spying a familiar small figure sitting on a low fence up ahead, he smiled to himself and self-consciously patted his hands over his hair and down his body to ensure everything was as it should be.  Satisfied, he went forward and spoke quietly to Kymberly.

"Mind if I join you?" he queried with a warm smile.

"Not at all. Pull up a piece of fence and sit down," she smiled back, coloring slightly.  Her blush was partly pleasure at seeing Tomas, and partly embarrassment for how she'd behaved when he'd first found her.  She took pride in not being a 'quailing female,' and yet she'd thrown herself at this young man in a total, blind panic.

"Are you okay, Princess?" he asked gently.

"My name is Kymberly," she countered without rancor.  

"All right, are you okay Kymberly?" he amended with a slight smile.

"Yes.  No.  I don't know," she said after considering the question.

"I guess that covers all options," he grinned, overcome with a desire to see her smile, if only a little bit.  He understood that she was frightened; in her shoes he'd be plenty frightened himself.  Her life depended on the ability of five people she'd never met before to pull off a near miracle.  He wasn't stupid, by any means. He knew that if finding and obtaining the Portent Orbs were easy, someone would have done it long ago.  From what he understood, they were the stuff of legends, and the power protected by the monolith had to be incredible, and desirable.  

His attempt at humor won barely a quirk of her lips as she looked up at him.  "It all just happened so fast, you know?  One minute I'm heading to town, with not a care in the world, next I'm being taken to that dreary place of Skullavich's, and being told I'm his.  It was awful," she murmured.

"Did he hurt you?" Tomas asked intently, fully planning to go back and flay the fiend alive if he had.

"No.  He just _kept_ me there.  Kept telling me I was his.  But he didn't touch me.  Not even to put this on," she sighed, resting one tentative finger on the gold collar.  "I did that myself.  How's that for stupid?" she questioned bitterly.

"It's not stupid.  You had no reason to know it was dangerous," he soothed her, unable to resist the temptation to put an arm around the small shoulders.  She responded by leaning into him with a sigh.  

"Thank you for saying so," she replied, swallowing around a sudden thickness in her throat.  She sternly ordered herself not to cry, she would not give in to her emotions again, not in front of this young man she already realized she was developing feelings for.  For a brief moment she allowed herself to savor the feel of his arm around her, to imagine this embrace under different, less dire, circumstances.  The blush deepened, and before he could note her reaction, she reluctantly withdrew from his embrace.

"We're going to succeed, Kymberly, you have to believe that.  This is too important for us to fail."  The utter conviction in his voice soothed her more than anything else could have.

She believed him, and that was enough for now.

~*~

The fragrance of flowers was cloyingly sweet in the morning air, not muted at all by the thick morning dew that coated the Temple gardens.  Trini shivered a little in her loose fitting tunic, worn over pants that fit snugly, but had plenty of give so her range of movement was not impaired.  Since the Master had not arrived yet, she decided to ward off the chill by doing one of the many exercise routines the master had taught her over the years. 

She had just concluded the routine when she whirled around to find Master Mantis standing behind her with a benevolent smile on his face.  "I see you've kept in practice," he observed.

"As you taught me to," she responded, bowing in respect to her teacher.

"Come, Trini, it is time to show your old master if you've learned what he has attempted to impart upon you," he intoned formally.  It was a ritual they had gone through every time she was tested, and its familiarity was both comforting and disconcerting.

He escorted her to an area of the extensive grounds she had never had cause to visit before, and she turned to the master with a awed expression.

"I am to be tested against the maze?"

"Yes, Trini.  What you seek, it cannot be given lightly to anyone.  The potential for harm, if it fell into the wrong hands, is terrifying.  Before I can tell you what you wish to know, the fates must be certain you are worthy of such knowledge.  That is what you must prove this morning.  I shall be waiting here when you return," he said gently, settling himself down on a bench, as was the custom when someone was being tested in the maze.  

"What will I encounter in there?  What sort of test?" she asked.

"The test you need to pass.  I can tell you no more.  Be at peace child; if you possess the needed skills, you will know what to do.  If you don't, knowing ahead of time will not help."  His smile was more encouraging than his words.

Trini turned back to the entrance of the maze and took a deep breath, then released it, along with her fears and worries.  It was like Master Mantis said-she either had it or she didn't, and it was far too late to be worrying about it now.

The maze was a combination of hedges and walls, nearly ten feet tall and spreading over almost a full acre of gently rolling land.  She knew that most who were tested against the maze failed; legends of promising students lost forever amongst the foliage and brick were commonplace.

The sudden appearance of an armor-clad soldier, wearing the trademark crest of a militant faction that attacked villages at random, caused her to fall back in surprise, wishing for her sword.  She stood at the ready, wondering what he was doing there, but not curious enough to strike up a conversation.  It had been her experience that this sort was not big on conversation, preferring to strike first, and ask questions...never.

She had barely had time to fall back in a defensive posture when he attacked, and she tensed, waiting for the killing blow.  It never landed.  Or rather, it landed, and passed right through her, like smoke.  She watched the fearsome image dissipate, then shook her head in puzzlement.

It hadn't been real.

Was that it, then?  Was she to be tested against unreal opponents?  That didn't make any sense, what would be the point?  Lost in her thoughts she almost didn't see the Tree Dweller that waited around the next turn.  She was alerted by the sudden movement as he brought his blow gun up to his lips, and despite knowing it was fake, she still pulled back instinctively.  It was a good thing she did.  The lethal dart tore a chunk of her tunic out, grazing, but not breaking, the skin underneath.

This one was real.

Trini turned to defend herself only to find the Tree Dweller had disappeared, as was their manner.  She paused, considering what had just happened and trying to determine what was actually going on in this maze.  She'd faced two opponents; one real, one not.  She carefully analyzed each incident, reaching a couple of unexpected conclusions.  She had been startled by the first attack, but there had been no fear, no rush of adrenalin.  The second attacker had not allowed enough time for defense, but she'd felt a sudden stab of fear at his appearance.  Somehow, some part of her had realized the first attacker was not real, but that the second one was.  Some instinct, some insight, had almost instantaneously analyzed each situation and had provided an accurate assessment.

That had to be the test; whether or not that instinct was accurate, and if she could - or would - allow herself to depend on it.  She took a series of deep breaths, focusing her energy, her mind, just as she had been taught so long ago.  Knowing now what was needed, she moved forward steadily, reacting to each threat that presented itself based on whether or not it was real.  She found herself slipping into an almost trancelike state, as if she were one with the maze, with the living hedges and the unliving stones, and in that state she could tell the difference between shadow and substance with barely a glance.  

She kept up the pace until she found herself in a square enclosure, where the only opening was the one through which she'd come.  She thought at first that she'd reached the middle, only to realize a half breath later that she hadn't but that she was close, very close.  Trini allowed herself to sink back into the instinctual state she'd been in, and immediately turned and walked without hesitation through the solid looking wall to her left.  When she was clear of the wall she understood at once that she was indeed to the center of the maze.

In front of her was a statue of the Goddess Zahara, and in her right hand she was holding out a round sphere, perhaps the size of a grapefruit.  It was a soft, almost translucent, white, with a slightly rough surface, similar to granite in feel.

Trini stood in awe for a few moments, then tentatively reached out and touched the sphere.  At her touch it suddenly glowed a bright yellow, and she knew it was hers to take, and that she was being given an almost sacred trust to keep.

The first Portent Orb had just been found.

She took it in her own long fingered hands, faintly surprised that it wasn't warm to the touch, amazed at the profound weight of the orb.  It was so strangely solid for something that weighed so little.  How long she stood there, contemplating the enigma she held in her hands, she could not have said, but at last she realized that she needed to get going.  She had to say her goodbyes to Master Mantis, and meet the others, give them the good news.  That thought was oddly heartwarming, and she briefly wondered when, and how, her companions had come to mean so much to her so quickly.

The trip out of the maze was much quicker, and more straightforward, than the trip in had been, and within a few minutes she had rejoined Master Mantis, who rose with a delighted smile when he saw what his most prized student held.

"You succeeded," he noted unnecessarily.

"It was the most amazing experience, I think I touched the 'higher plane' you spoke of so often," she replied, her eyes glowing.

"If I ever had a student I believed could achieve that, it was you.  You have done well, Trini," he praised her.

"A student is only as good as her master," she demurred.

"A master is only as good as his students will allow," he countered.

"A symbiotic relationship, then," Trini concluded, smiling.

"Indeed. But, you must be going, is that correct?" the master queried.

"Yes.  The others will be waiting," she agreed, sounding a bit regretful.  She really would have enjoyed talking over the experience with her teacher.

She had replaced her dagger and sword, and the purse-like bag she carried now contained the Portent Orb.  The two of them walked toward the front gate of the Temple, not hurrying, while Master Mantis told Trini what he knew about the Portent Orbs.  .

"Thank you, again, Master Mantis, for all you have taught me, and for setting me on the path to obtain the Orb," Trini murmured when they'd reached the gate.

"You are welcome, child.  But, remember this, you achieved that of your own ability and effort.  I did but set your feet on the path, you took the journey.  Be well, Trini, and remember to return someday to bring joy to an old man's life."

"I will.  Be well, Master Mantis, and keep imparting your wisdom to those who seek it, for every bit of knowledge is another small light in a dark room," she countered, smiling a little sadly.

They bowed formally to each other, completing the ritual parting of Master and student, and Trini turned away reluctantly.  She'd taken only a half dozen steps when she turned to find the master watching her wistfully.  She gave in to an urge she'd felt often enough before, but had never indulged. She ran lightly back to the man who had shaped her future and enveloped him in a heartfelt hug, while placing a chaste kiss on his weathered cheek.

"Thank you," she whispered before withdrawing hastily and all but running toward town without a backward glance.

"Thank _you_, child.  May your future bring you happiness," he whispered after the retreating figure, watching until she mounted her horse and rode out of sight, then turning back to the Temple and the familiar duties that awaited him there.

tbc


	6. Chapter Six

PART SIX

"Where is she?  Maybe she ran into some sort of problem," Zackary fretted as he and the others waited around the fountain at the center of East Amber.  He and the others, except Will, had spent the night at the local Inn, enjoying an excellent dinner of roast lamb, and listening to local gossip.  They'd listened in particular for any mention of the Portent Orb, but hadn't heard so much as a whisper.  The lack of news was frustrating to the group, and they were anxious for Trini to return so they could begin their search in earnest.

"There she is now," Kymberly said suddenly spying their companion approaching on foot.

"Trini, thank goodness you're okay!" Zackary said, hurrying to her side.  It had become obvious to all of them that Zackary was oddly protective of his rescuer, despite the fact she was the far better fighter.

"I'm fine," she assured him with a smile.  "Shall we get going?" 

Jason and Tomas exchanged a puzzled look, but didn't argue as they all mounted up and followed Trini to the outskirts of town.  Once past the last of the buildings, the young woman stopped her horse and turned to her companions.

"Well?  Did you find anything out?" Tomas asked impatiently.

In response Trini pulled out the Orb, showing it to the others.

"Trini!  You have it!  Where?  How?  That's wonderful!" Kymberly exclaimed, her voice shrill with excitement.

"I beat the maze, and it was in the center.  I guess it was at the temple all along.  So we're free to go after the next one, in South East Onyx, I believe," Trini explained.

"Did your teacher say anything about the other Orbs?" Jason asked.

"As much as he could, I believe.  It seems that singly they are not particularly powerful, but together they can be used to garner incredible power.  That is why they were separated, and are kept separate.  Some, like this one, are in the hands of those who are good, and some are not.  He told me the one in South East Onyx, for example, is in the possession of the Black Knight.  I don't think it will be as easy to get that Orb as it was to get this one," she told them.

"More difficult, perhaps, but not impossible," Jason said confidently as they set out again in the midday heat.  

~*~

"That's the Black Knight's castle?" Will asked, frowning as he studied the impressive structure.

"Yeah.  Looks like it's not going to be easy getting inside," Tomas muttered, his sharp eyes looking for any potential weaknesses.

"Well, we could always try the front door," Zackary suggested.

"Pardon me?" Jason asked, giving the other young man a questioning look.

"Rather than trying to sneak in, why not let me try to get a position in the court. After all, it is what I do for a living," Zackary replied calmly.

"Yeah, but not for the likes of the Black Knight," Trini protested.  "If he suspects you of something, he won't hesitate to kill you."

"Then I'll have to be sure he doesn't suspect anything."

"I don't like this Zackary," Trini reiterated.  "It's too dangerous."

"But I can do this, I know I can.  And, I don't know why, but I feel I _have_ to do this, you know?"

And oddly enough, Trini did know, remembering how she felt, facing the maze.  A glance at the others showed that they also seemed to recognize that a higher force appeared to be at work here, directing them, guiding them.  And some instinct seemed to indicate that now it was Zackary's turn to stand to the front and make his contribution.

"Zackary, I'm still not sure this is a good idea," Trini insisted, despite her instincts.  "If he figures out what you're looking for...he's known to be brutal to those who cross him."

"Then I better not get caught, right?" the dark skinned young man said cockily.  

"Zackary..." 

"Look, you know I'm good at what I do, right? And I hardly look threatening.  Folks tend to trust me, not that I don't deserve their trust, mind you, but I just have one of those faces," he wheedled a bit, wanting...needing...to do his part in their quest.  He was well aware his 'job skills' were not especially well suited for heroic conquests, so a chance to prove his worth might not arise later, he had to take the opportunity now.

"You're sure about this?" Jason asked unexpectedly, as so far the others had only listened to Trini and Zackary's discussion.

"Absolutely.  Let me go try to land a job, then maybe you guys could come up with some sort of distraction tomorrow?  Give me a chance to get the goods?"  Zackary knew, as soon as Jason asked the question, that they would let him try.

They quickly decided that the other five would set up a camp on the outskirts of town, and if Zackary didn't manage to gain employment in the Black Knight's court he would join them there.  Otherwise, they would find a way to stir up some distracting turmoil in the courtyard to give the young jester a chance to find and procure the Portent Orb.

Leaving his companions and mount behind, Zackary resolutely made his way directly to the castle, refusing to look back or to ponder too deeply his reasons for insisting on doing this.  He had already checked his bag to ensure he had all the supplies he needed, so he went directly to the entrance, boldly knocking as if he belonged.

Greeted by a disquietingly benevolent looking older man, Zackary quickly stated his mission and requested an audience with the Black Knight.  Chuckling softly at the foolishness of youth, the butler turned to relay the request, bidding Zackary cool his heels in the huge entryway.

Moments later the old man reappeared, telling his unexpected guest to follow him without delay, that it seemed it was the young man's lucky morning, after all.  A surprisingly long walk at last led them to the immense throne room, were the Black Knight sprawled languidly on his plush seat, his face and form hidden by the full suit of shining black armor. 

The Black Knight was an enigma to most people; whether he was an evil good person or a good evil person was impossible to tell.  He carefully skirted the edge between virtuous and malicious; never quite wicked enough to attract the attention of heroes like Jason or Tomas, nor moral enough to completely avoid their notice.  He seemed to view the law and morality as challenges to his creativity, rather than codes to live by.

He now looked over the dark youth in front of him with a peculiar attitude of interested disdain before demanding a demonstration of the jester's skills.  Zackary responded with the native enthusiasm of a born showman, noting the nearly imperceptible indications of approval, and the far more perceptible expressions of dissatisfaction, and adjusting his routine accordingly.  He finished his routine with a flourish, breathing a bit heavily, waiting anxiously for the Black Knight's decision.

The large being levered himself to his feet and made a slow circuit of the still kneeling teenager, noting with approval that Zackary realized his vulnerability but still held his ground.  The overlord approved of courage, whatever the form, and it was this factor that decided him in Zackary's favor.

"Tell Wilton to find you quarters amongst the slaves, and appropriate attire.  You will report every evening before the night meal and will entertain me, and whatever guests I may have, until I give you leave to retire.  You will be provided with a bed and food as compensation.  Now go, before I tire of you."

Pleased at his success, and not anxious to raise the ire of his new employer, Zackary beat a calm - but expedient - retreat, seeking out the elderly butler, who he suspected was the referenced 'Wilton.'  Finding the man, and ascertaining his identity, Zackary relayed the Black Knight's instructions, and added his own humble request to be clued in as to some of the things he should be informed about, such as rules and the preferences of his employer.

Experience had taught Zackary that it was always a good idea to cultivate the friendship of a royal servant or two, and Wilton seemed a fair enough sort, if sorely lacking in anything even resembling a personality.  His request for information seemed to warm the butler, because the new jester found himself being given a quick tour of the castle and a succinct lesson in protocol, all of which he stored in his quick memory.  While listening attentively to the elderly servant and asking the appropriate questions, Zackary keep a sharp lookout for the Portent Orb, and was amazed to find it resting in a place of honor in an open trophy room.  Zackary spend some few minutes in the room, asking questions about the various displays, including the one holding the Orb.  Wilton seemed to dismiss it as a matter of minor importance among the many items displayed, and Zackary felt a rising optimism, which he prudently quashed.  There was no way it could be as easy as it looked; there had to be something he wasn't seeing, some hidden trick.

Finally reaching the slave quarters, Wilton found him a vacant bed and a small chest in which to store his personal belongings.  A trip to the communal closet produced a garishly bright suit of clothes, which Wilton gave him to wear for his 'appearances' in the evening.  Admonishing the younger man to rest well before his performance, Wilton finally left Zackary alone with his thoughts, much to the teen's relief.

He quickly settled himself in, the sheer familiarity of his new, albeit very temporary, employment oddly comforting to the young man.  He had been trained as a court jester since early childhood, and had spent countless hours practicing in deserted areas of the old castle, with only a few disinterested mice as his audience.  His father had admonished him from the very beginning that the position of court jester was not one to be taken lightly...

_"Son, you will find there are times when you will be the only thing keeping the peace in a room full of strangers. Such is the hidden job of the jester.  You must learn to judge the mood of your audience, and to use that knowledge accordingly.  Kings and their advisors have a heavy responsibility, there will be times they will falter under the strain, and an alert jester can help vent some of that stress, and get the ruler back on track," Taylor told his young son, who sat on his knee listening with wide eyes._

_"So, the jester really rules the king?" he asked breathlessly of the man who was king in his small world._

_"The king must never know that, Zackary.  It must remain a closely guarded secret," Taylor advised with a smile and a wink.  "The jester keeps many secrets, you know.  Half the time the king doesn't even know his jester is around, and will divulge things he doesn't want others to know.  Part of the job, a big part, is keeping secrets."_

_"What else, Father?"_

_"Well, the jester must always tell the king the truth, even when it means making the king unhappy.  A good jester must be able to tell the king a hard truth in such a way the king understands the message, but doesn't kill the messenger.  Understand?" he queried._

_"I think so. If the king is laughing, he's not as likely to hit the jester, right?" Zackary asked, the eyes serious above his smile.  He'd heard his father talk about getting in trouble with the king for some perceived mistake, and knew a jester couldn't fight back, or even complain, unless the punishment was life threatening.  To the boy it seemed a life full of peril and chances for heroism, and he wanted nothing more than to be as good a court jester as his much beloved father. _

_With that in mind, Zackary listened closely, and learned quickly.  With time the true meaning of his father's words became clear, and the personable youngster readily accepted the real responsibility that came with the job of jester.  From working in his father's shadow as an apprentice, to moving to a different province to strike out on his own, Zackary's talents and tireless enthusiasm served him in good stead.  As did his ability to make friends in the most unlikely places and ways; it seemed few could resist his natural charm..._

Lying on his less than comfortable bed, the young man went over his memories of the trophy room, forming an extremely accurate mental picture of the layout of the displays, and the Orb's display in particular. There were some familiar security devices in that room, ones he knew how to disarm or trick, and that knowledge could prove useful.  He finally made the conscious decision to let the thoughts go and lay back down; he needed to be fresh for the evening's activities.

~*~

"I definitely agree in this case it would be best if we didn't stay in town," Tomas offered, as the other five travelers rode slowly through the bustling community.  They had watched long enough to see Zackary admitted to the castle, then had turned their attention to their own situation.

"Yeah," Jason nodded, his sharp gaze moving restlessly over the various buildings and citizens.  "There is something that just doesn't feel right in this place."

"Probably the Black Knight's influence," Trini contributed.

"Whatever it is, this place is creepy," Kym added with an unconscious nervous shudder.

They reached the outskirts of the town, then followed a small river until they found a good sized clearing, one that had obviously been used as a camp numerous times.  A rock-ringed fire pit stood in the middle of a patch bare of grass, and a selection of much larger stones, suitable for sitting on, were scattered in a rough circle around it.

Camp was quickly set up, and before long they had a small fire well established and bedrolls scattered around.  With time to kill, they decided to go individually into town and see if they could learn anything to help Zackary in his search.  Will volunteered to stay behind to guard their belongings and start the evening meal, an offer that was readily accepted by the others.  

An hour before sundown they returned, footsore and discouraged, to be greeted by the savory aroma of meat slowly cooking over an open fire.

"Oh, man, Will, that smells wonderful," Tomas grinned at their companion, taking in a deep, appreciative breath.

"If you all want to wash up it'll be ready to serve in a few minutes," he told them with a smile of his own.

Within minutes they each had a plateful of roast rabbit and assorted vegetables, which they attacked with enthusiasm.  Once their initial hunger was slaked, conversation grew more animated.

"I'm telling you, it's like they were afraid to say anything," Kym complained looking around with an aggrieved expression.

"With the town under the thrall of the Black Knight, what do you expect?" Tomas countered gently.  "I got the definite impression that things were fine for them, as long as they followed the rules. But..."

"Definitely ruled by fear," Jason agreed.  "You notice how there weren't a lot of young men around?  Mostly I saw women and older men."

"You know, you're right," Trini mused.  "If I had to guess, I'd say the younger men are in the Black Knight's service, and probably not totally voluntarily.  But being the way he is, he'd want himself surrounded by as much muscle as possible..." her voice trailed off as she turned her gaze in the direction of the town, hidden by the thick trees of the forest.  "I just hope Zackary is being careful," she murmured.

"I'm sure he is," Jason said comfortingly.  He'd known Trini a couple of years, and was a bit surprised at her apparent fondness for the young man she'd rescued.  But, then again, Zackary WAS a very personable sort, and Jason didn't fancy the idea of him being hurt, either.  And, he knew how it was to feel responsible for someone who wasn't as able to defend himself as he was.  His glance wandered briefly to Will, who was sitting quietly studying the fire, and he sighed a little.  Oh, yeah, he knew how it felt, all right.

~*~

Zackary hurried through the crowded streets of South East Onyx with the purposeful stride of a man who knew where he was going and that he had to get there soon.  He had spend a busy, and rather nerve wracking evening and night amusing the Black Knight, but at least now he had a plan.  But, he had to let the others know what was up before they followed through with the original plan of them creating a disturbance.  So, praying his instincts were right, he followed the main road out of town to the river.  At the river he saw the fresh footprints and breathed a sigh of relief.  It seemed he'd guessed right, after all, and he all but jogged along the river until he reached his friends' camp.

"Zackary! Are you all right?" Trini asked anxiously, hurrying up to the young man.

"I'm fine, fine.  Just wanted to get to you guys before you did anything.  Listen, there's a change of plan.  I'm gonna get the Orb tonight, while he's entertaining a bunch of guests," Zackary explained.

"If you steal it while a bunch of people are there, isn't that awful risky?" Tomas asked.

"I'm not going to steal it," Zackary said. "I'm going to win it square and fair.  But, then I'll need to get out of there, and we'll have to get out of the area.  He won't do anything with the guests around, he's too proud of being 'honorable'.  But, when they are gone, I'd better be gone, too.  Could you guys sneak into town and wait near the castle for me?  Say by the seamstress's shop?  You know the place I mean?"

"Yeah, little gray place with the pink trim?" Jason replied.

"That's the one.  I'll meet you there as soon as I can get the Orb and do a fade.  Then we take off, before he rallies the troops," Zackary explained.

"Okay.  We'll do this your way, I guess," Jason agreed, seeing the determined light in the dark eyes of the jester.

"Are you sure this is safe?" Trini asked, her calm tone not really disguising her concern.

"Yes, ma'am, I'm sure," he grinned.  "Relax, I promise to try to avoid needing rescuing, okay?  But, look, I have to go before they miss me.  Just be there for me tonight, please. And, if I don't show up, well, the Orb is in a trophy room, right off the main throne room."

"Be careful, Zackary, please?" Kym spoke up, well aware that they were all taking these risks on her behalf.  If something happened to the cheerful young man, she didn't know if she could stand the guilt.

Zackary just smiled and winked at her, then turned to hurry back the way he'd come, his attitude typically jaunty and unconcerned.

~*~

"And this is my trophy room," the Black Knight announced to his assembled guests with a grand gesture around the room.  The group, consisting of assorted nobility of the South East Province, wandered around the large room, looking a the assembled treasures.  The Royal and Nobility Castes in the South East Province tolerated having the Black Knight in their midst, maintaining an uneasy truce.  King Adam, a good king for the most part, had been spectacularly unsuccessful in ousting the unwanted presence, and had, in the end, been happy to cut his losses and let the Knight remain in his province, as long as he didn't cause too much trouble.

As a consequence, more adventurous members of the Nobility Caste, to which caste the Black Knight belonged, occasionally socialized with him, enjoying the atmosphere of danger and barely leashed ferocity that permeated his court.

"Is this the real Ruby of Mastonia?" a young woman asked, peering at a beautifully displayed gem.

"Indeed, my dear," their black armored host replied.  "I had to slay a two headed dragon for that."

She started to reach for the gem, but was stayed by the Black Knight's voice.

"Don't!" he rapped out, satisfied when she stopped and turned frightened eyes to him.  "I simply do not wish for you to be injured," he purred, picking up a finger length breadstick from a tray of food set out in the corner.  He extended the bread toward the gem, until it tripped the security device, which shot a beam of some sort that destroyed the end of the makeshift probe.

"You see, I've nothing but the best security available," he chuckled at their shocked expressions.

"I could get it out," Zackary said from the corner where he was required to wait until needed.

"What did you say, jester?" the Black Knight demanded, turning toward the young man with obvious displeasure.

Zackary took a deep breath and faced his 'employer.'  

"I said, I could get it out," he repeated firmly, ignoring the fierce pounding of his heart.

"You?  How could you possibly hope to defeat a system designed by one of the greatest minds of our time?" he demanded.

"I can not only do it, I can do it without any 'special' tools," he retorted.

"Prove it."

"I will, for an appropriate wager," the dark youth countered.

"If you succeed, you may keep the Ruby of Mastonia."

"What do I want with a ruby?" Zackary asked dismissively, daring greatly in his desperation.

The Black Knight paused, deep in thought.  "If you succeed, you may have your choice of any one item in this room.  If you fail, I will cut off your right hand and my guards will beat you from here to the outskirts of town." 

Zackary knew he had passed the point of being able to back out, so he agreed, offering up a shaky and heartfelt prayer that he remembered the lessons he'd been taught several years before.

He had come from a long line of court servants; his father had been a jester and his mother the royal head cook.  He'd grown up in the castle, playing in seldom-used rooms with the other children of servants or slaves.  He'd been a curious and personable child, and adults tended to enjoy telling him stories, as he always listened with complete attention.  One winter a new servant came to the castle, to set up a security system after numerous threats had been made against the king and his family.  On quiet evenings Kertus, who had been a thief in his youth, told his captivated audience of one all the ways a security system could be circumvented.  Zackary had listened and learned and remembered.  And now those memories would be put to the test.

He glanced around, spotting a hand sized silver disc being used as a coaster to protect the wooden furniture, which would suit his needs perfectly.  He grabbed the disc, and an orange from the food tray and approached the display holding the ruby. With his every move being watched by the roomful of people, Zackary had to take a moment to compose his nerves before continuing.  Forcing the audience, the consequences of failure, from his mind, he took some deep, steadying breaths, then began his inspection of the booby traps protecting the fist-sized gem.

His confidence grew as he realized he _did_ recognize the type, and knew how to defeat it.  Polishing the disc to a high sheen, he gripped it close to the side and carefully judging the angle needed, he moved it into the protective web of beams surrounding the gem.  His angle turned out to be correct, and the destructive beam bounced off the reflective surface and back into itself, destroying the source and collapsing the entire web.  The audience sighed appreciatively, thinking he'd succeeded, but he was too well trained to fall into that trap.  He carefully examined the gem, laying down the no longer needed mirror and hefting the orange in his hand.  He figured it was close enough to work, and reached out cautiously with his right hand to the glittering red gem while bring the orange in close with his left.  His steady hands moved in perfect harmony, deftly replacing the weight of the gem with the weight of the orange, and he stood back with the ruby in his hand, letting out the breath he hadn't realized he was holding.

He turned and showed the others the priceless gem, soaking in the applause, and smiling widely.  He looked boldly at the Black Knight, offering him the stone with a small bow.

"Well done," the black armored man said grudgingly.  "What do you claim as your reward?"

Zackary make a show of examining each item carefully, then indicated the Portent Orb.  "I think this will do," he said firmly.

"Very well," the Black Knight growled, producing a special key to deactivate the security around the Orb.  He picked it up, seeming to consider something for a moment, then handed it with barely discernable reluctance to his new court jester.

Zackary kept his expression carefully neutral as the Portent Orb was handed over, pulsing with a strange black glow in his warm hands.  He quickly stashed it in his oversized pocket, then did a graceful and grateful fade from the center of attention as the Black Knight started he herd his guests out of the room.

The rest of the evening was a blur to the young man as he was called upon again and again to perform; singing, dancing, and juggling until he thought he'd drop from exhaustion.  He knew he was safe as long as the visitors were around, that the Knight would not make a move against him in front of the noble guests.  But, once they left, Zackary knew he had better be long gone, because there'd be nothing then to stay his violent nature, and Zackary knew he'd embarrassed his large 'boss.'

The chance finally presented itself when one of the young men suggested a game of charades.  Zackary knew from experience that this game tended to get quite rowdy, and the need for 'outside' entertainment was minimal.  As the teams were chosen and rules were being settled upon, the teen made his move, disappearing down a little used corridor, which he knew led to a delivery entrance.  Moving with a speed born of desperation, he soon found himself outside and running close to the side of dark buildings, heading unerringly toward the rendezvous point.

He reached the seamstress shop and looked around desperately for his companions, his stomach clenching with sudden fear.  When a hand touched his shoulder, he nearly screamed, turning to find Tomas behind him with a startled expression on his face.

"Sorry, man, didn't mean to scare you," the longhaired young man said softly.  "But we decided we'd look too suspicious if we all were here, so I came alone with your horse.  Did you get it? Are you ready to leave?"

"Yes, to both," Zackary said emphatically, gratefully mounting his horse.  "Let's get the heck out of here."

TBC


	7. Chapter Seven

PART SEVEN

They had ridden all night, moving as quickly as possible in the darkness, wanting as much space between them and South East Onyx as possible. But by midmorning they knew they had to take a break, the horses were in need of a rest, and all were in need of a meal.  

Stopping in a fairly secluded clearing, they let their horses graze while they ate a cold meal of bread and dried meat, washing it down with water from a nearby stream.  Conversation was subdued as they concentrated on assuaging their morning hunger, until finally Jason volunteered to ride up a nearby rise to check their back trail for pursuers.

"You guys rest, I'll be back in a little while and we'll get going.  I don't think any of us will feel safe until we get out of this province," the dark haired young man said as he mounted his horse.

"I can't argue with you about that," Zackary agreed heartily.  His natural enthusiasm was returning as he began to relax a little, and with his hunger finally vanquished he was rapidly becoming his usual energetic self.

When Tomas asked how he obtained the Portent Orb, Zackary launched himself into the story with vigor, soon leaping to his feet so he could act it out for his enthralled audience.  Using is companions as props whenever he could; he soon had both girls giggling, and playfully swatting him away when he got too close.  Tomas mock threatened the hyper storyteller when he attempted to draw him into the act, so Zackary contented himself with using more willing subjects.  When he reached the point where he exchanged the orange for the ruby, and chose the Orb as his prize, he got as much applause from his companions as he had from the guests the night before.  Winding down, he described his desperate escape, growing humorously melodramatic.

"...and I swear, if a guard had accosted me I would have thrown myself on his mercy," he cried, dropping to one knee and pulling his shirt open, exposing his bare chest for the imaginary sword.  The girls' laughter took on a mildly scandalized tone, they'd never seen anyone behave so ridiculously, yet they couldn't help but enjoy it.  "Please, just make it quick!" he cried out hysterically, much to the increasing amusement of the others.

Leaping to his feet, he grabbed Will, who was standing closest to him and turned the startled young man toward the imaginary guard.  "Better yet, make it quick for him!" he cried out, yanking the blond's shirt open before the startled young man could object.

The three watching teens' expressions turned from smiling to shock to angry betrayal in a space of heartbeat as Will wrenched himself out of Zackary's grasp and quickly pulled his shirt back in place, but not before they all saw the damning truth.

The flesh of his left shoulder was as smooth and unmarked as the day he was born, and the truth hit them all with the force of a physical blow.  Will, who they had accepted into their group, was Outcaste.

"How...how could you?!" Kymberly cried out angrily, her normally kind face twisted into an expression of loathing.

"What do you think you were doing, pretending to be a normal person?" Tomas demanded, standing protectively in front of Kymberly, as if he expected the mild mannered young man who had traveled with them the last few days to suddenly attack.

Zackary, who'd seen the truth just as Will broke his grip, backed off from the other teen as if his social status were somehow contagious, his usually open, friendly face tight with anger.

Trini was the only one who didn't react with complete fury at the apparent betrayal of their trust, but she didn't look particularly friendly, either.  They had all been raised to believe those of Outcaste status were to be avoided at all costs, that Outcastes were less than human, to be shunned and treated with suspicion.  That they had been in continuous contact with such a person for days was as shocking to them as it would have been if Will had suddenly turned into a wild animal in front of their eyes.

Will saw the expressions, heard the anger, and a small part of him, which had begun to thrive in presence of seemingly kindred spirits, died a quick, and immensely painful, death.  He pulled in on himself, instinctively trying to protect himself, as if from a physical blow. But, no physical blow, and he'd received many in his short life, had ever hurt as badly as this did; this wound went soul deep, tearing at his heart in ways he couldn't have imagined.  He took a deep, shuddering breath, and stood straight again, forcing himself to meet their anger with as much dignity as he could manage.

It was at this moment that Jason returned from his scouting.

His greeting died on his lips as he immediately sensed the tension among the others, saw the four apparently standing against Will, who looked up at him with pain-filled eyes. That, combined with the way his friend was clutching his shirt closed, gave him all the clues he needed to understand what had happened.  He dismounted hurriedly and went to Will's side as Tomas spoke with barely contained fury.

"What the hell were you playing at, bringing one of his kind with us?" the taller young man demanded, glaring at Jason.

"'His kind?'" Jason repeated back as his own temper snapped.  "'His kind?'  What kind of narrow-minded bigot are you, Tomas?  All of you!  Ten minutes ago he was your friend, now he's less than human?  You know, it's only an accident of birth that separates you from 'his kind.'"  The burly teen stepped in front of Will protectively, ready to take on anyone who would offer to harm his smaller friend.

As the others sputtered in anger beyond words, Jason snapped out his news.  "We don't have time for this!  They're following us, and closing fast. Now, mount up and move out," he ordered, his tone brooking no argument.  

It was a measure of their respect for his position that they obeyed without further delay, and soon all that remained in that clearing was a small cloud of slowly settling dust.

~*~

The next hour found the six young people riding as if pursued by the hounds of hell, pushing their horses to the limits in the effort to maintain their lead on the pursuing soldiers.  But, despite their efforts, it seemed they were losing ground as they paused in a narrow valley and looked back to find the riders cresting the hill behind them, a distance of no more than two miles.

"This isn't working," Kymberly griped as they prepared to move out again.

Will suddenly dismounted, tossing his reins to a startled Jason.  "I can slow those guys down, Jason, and you get them out of here," he said decisively, not looking at any of the others.

"No, Will, it's way too dangerous," the dark haired young man argued, his glance shifting anxiously at the rapidly approaching group of twenty riders.

"Go! Now, Jason!  Go on.  You know I can do this, then I'll head on home.  Get going, before it's too late!"

For a moment it looked like Jason was going to protest, then turned his horse toward the others, snapping angrily.  "Come on, move out!"

He didn't need to tell them twice, they immediately spurred their mounts to a desperate gallop, leaving behind one slight figure to face the coming soldiers.  They had not gotten far when an unearthly howling screech, reminiscent of a wildcat's cry, reached them, causing their horses to jump forward even faster with obvious fear.

"What the hell was that?" Zackary cried out, almost unseated by his horse's reaction.

"That was Will," Jason replied shortly.

"What's he doing?" Tomas asked, as they rapidly approached the summit of the hill they were riding up.

"Giving us a chance to escape," was the curt reply.

As they crested the hill they paused, turning to look back down on the small, grassy valley.  What they saw both amused and chilled them.

The soldiers horses had not reacted any better than their horses had to the horrendous cries Will had made.  All but three of the soldiers were either thrown from their mounts, or were fighting to bring their steeds under control as they raced back up the far hillside.  As pandemonium reigned they could see Will beating a hasty retreat on foot, obviously depending on the soldiers being too preoccupied to pursue him.

He was unfortunately mistaken.

One particularly large soldier took out a sling and used it to bring down the fleeing figure, then hurried over to secure his prisoner, never hearing the protest from the unseen observers.

"No," Jason gasped out, turning as if to ride back down the hill.

"Jason, no!  There's nothing you can do here," Trini insisted, grabbing the reins of Jason's horse to prevent his leaving.  "Now is not the time."

"I can't just leave him," the burly teen ground out, glaring at Trini.

"I'm not suggesting you do.  I'm just saying riding down there right now will get you captured, and that _won't_ help Will."  Sympathetic almond eyes met his gaze unwaveringly.  "If you want to help him, we have to take the chance he gave us."

Hating the fact she was right, Jason nodded tersely, then turned his horse away from the scene in the valley they'd come from and led the others toward safety.  

~*~

They'd finally hit the road that cut across South East Province, where a left turn would take them back to East Province, and a right turn on into South Province, where they hoped to find the third Portent Orb.  The ride had been silent, and tense, with each of them lost in their own thoughts, contemplating what had happened with Will both in the clearing when they'd discovered his secret, and in the small valley when he'd sacrificed himself to let them escape safely.  Occasionally one of them would cast a glance at Jason, then almost wince at the expression on the normally calm young man's face.  

They stopped at a stream to let their weary horses have a drink, and stiffly dismounted, walking around to loosen tense muscles.  They had seen no evidence of pursuers since they'd lost Will in that valley a couple of hours before.

"I'm going back," Jason said with calm decision when they had settled down in shady spot to rest.  He turned toward Kymberly, who sat idly running one finger over the collar with a thoughtful expression.  "I'm sorry, Kymberly, I realize this adds an extra day to our quest, but I cannot...I will not...leave Will in their possession.  The only reason he's even here is because I asked him, and he got caught saving us.  I can't leave him.  I hope you understand that.  You can all go on with Tomas, and I'll try to catch up," he concluded.

"That won't work, Jason," Tomas said quietly.

"Why not?" Jason asked, starting to get angry again.

"Because I'm going to go with you after Will.  You were right, what you said.  And at the very least, we have to get him back so I can offer him an apology," Tomas said with painful sincerely, obviously ashamed of his earlier actions.  What kind of hero was he, if he could turn his back on a friend because of an accident of birth?

"You can count me in, too," Zackary added.  He was confused by his feelings of guilt, having been taught to disdain Outcastes all his life by a father who had harbored an unreasonable hatred for them.  But, he'd liked Will, despite the young man's reticence, and Zackary had had his own experiences with prejudice from those who thought a court jester was, by definition, stupid. He was deeply disappointed with himself when he realized he'd subjected Will to the same sort of narrow-minded prejudice.

"And me," Kym spoke up softly.  She'd seen the pain in Will's eyes when they'd turned on him with their anger, and part of her was still reeling with shocked dismay that she could cause that sort of pain to anyone.  It was a look she never wanted to be responsible for again.

"Looks like it's unanimous," Trini smiled at Jason, knowing he had figured she'd join him.  They had worked together in the past, after all, and while she had been a bit surprised and shocked at first when Will's status was revealed, on reflection she realized it wasn't so surprising.  Jason had always been one to champion the underdog, and being an Outcaste was about as 'underdog' as a person could get.  

"You guys, you don't have to do this.  I do," Jason responded, looking relieved despite his protest.

"Actually, I think we DO need to do this," Trini countered firmly.

"We should probably start back toward the castle slowly, to give the horses a chance to recover.  And find a place to sleep before we attempt this.  What do you think, Jason?" Tommy queried.

"Sounds like a good plan.  Zack, did you find any hidden entrances, where we could get in without being noticed?" Jason asked.

"The delivery entrance I used may not be heavily guarded," Zackary decided after a moment's deliberation.  "No one was there last night, at any rate."

"Okay, well, let's get going then," Kymberly announced decisively, standing and going to collect her horse.  

They rode off together, making their way slowly back to where they'd started a few hours before.

Tbc


	8. Chapter Eight

**_Author's Notes:_**_  Okay, it's time to restate what I said in the notes for part one: _

**_"Warning:_**_  Dang, I was hoping to avoid any warnings this time, but better safe than sorry.  There is a scene in this story that depicts the severe corporal punishment of a child, which could be considered child abuse.  This scene does not represent the parenting beliefs of the author, but was included to illustrate the societal beliefs of the fictional country in this tale.  If you think such a scene will upset you, please do not read this story."_

_This chapter is the one that contains that material.  I don't play nice with Billy…then again, I never do, do I?  __J__  Enjoy!  And thanks for all the lovely comments, they are much appreciated, always!_

**PART EIGHT**

"Jason, I'm curious about something," Tomas said as they rode slowly over a seemingly endless grassy plain.  They were only a couple of hours from South East Onyx, soon they would be looking to set up a camp, eat a quick meal and get some much-needed sleep.  

"What's that?" Jason replied.

"You said you 'had' to go after Will.  It's obvious you two are long time friends.  But, and I mean no offense by this, how did the son of a king become such good friends with an Outcaste?  You have to admit, it's not the most likely of friendships."

Jason chuckled quietly.  "I suppose not.  But Will's not the most likely of Outcastes, either."  He paused a moment, considering, before speaking again.

"My father, he's a real stickler for traditions.  Especially when it comes to his sons, everything must be done properly.  So, despite the fact it is a rather barbaric tradition, when I was eight years old I had to be assigned a whipping boy..."

~*~

_"Okay, Son, gathered in the courtyard are boys who want a chance to be your whipping boy.  Just as I did with your brothers, I'll allow you to make your choice. Just remember, Jason, to choose wisely.  Whoever you choose will be your companion for the next few years, you want someone you can get along with," King Olscott counseled his youngest son, now just a few days past his eighth birthday._

_The tradition of a whipping boy for princes was as old as their history, though not all the provinces still honored that tradition.  But Olscott had had a whipping boy in his youth, a boy who had grown into the king's closest friend and confidante.  Both his older sons had chosen whipping boys who had developed into friends as well, though his middle son's scapegoat had certainly had a harder time of it than Jacob's had. _

_Jacob, Olscott's eldest, the crown prince, had always been a responsible, almost solemn child, who rarely got into any trouble.  Jarrod, the middle son, was a mischievous, irresponsible, charming boy who had given his parents more trouble than his brothers combined. Jason was a happy medium between his siblings, combining Jacob's sense of responsibility with Jarrod's joy for life._

_"Father, is this really necessary?" Jason questioned again as they neared the door to the courtyard.  The boy lacked the vocabulary to explain why it bothered him so much to think someone else could be hurt for what he did, all he could do was question why it was necessary._

_"We've been over this before, Jason, and I won't argue with you any more.  And, bear in mind, if you don't choose, I will choose one for you.  Now, come on, Son," the king said, ushering his reluctant offspring into the courtyard._

_Nearly thirty boys, all eight years old, milled around the enclosed area, laughing and teasing each other, many not really certain what exactly they were there for.  Jason, shadowed by his father, began to mingle among them, stopping to talk to some, asking questions, getting a feel for each one.  He had led a somewhat sheltered life so far; his main companions had been either his much older brothers, or servants, neither of which had really prepared him for interacting with other children._

_After hearing a seemingly endless stream of 'your highness' and boasts of strength and bravery, Jason was heartily sick of the whole thing.  None of the boys he'd spoken to seemed like anyone he'd want to be around, they all lacked something; though what that something was he couldn't have said.  It was then that he spied the light haired boy standing alone in a quiet corner, waiting patiently._

_"What is your name?" Jason asked._

_"Will."_

_"Your parents' names?"_

_There was no answer to that question, and Jason was surprised to see a faint blush spread over the thin features of the other boy.  Olscott noticed that the child wasn't quite as clean, nor as well dressed, as the others, and a sudden suspicion made him break into Jason's 'interview.'_

_"Show your caste brand, child," the king ordered._

_Flushing darker, the boy exposed his unmarked shoulder, bringing a frown of displeasure to the king's brow.  "How did you get in here?" he demanded._

_"I slipped in when no one was looking, Sire," the child replied, looking up at the king's angry face with a desperate sort of courage._

_"Do you understand the consequences of doing such a thing?"_

_"Yes, Sire."_

_"Then, why did you do it?" Olscott asked sternly, intrigued by the boy despite himself._

_"I wanted a chance to get the position, Sire."_

_"Do you understand what being the whipping boy entails?"_

_"Yes, Sire.  I would stand in to receive the prince's physical punishment when warranted, to protect the prince from possible damage during punishment."_

_"Normally the parents of the whipping boy receive the payments.  That wouldn't happen for you, would it?  So, you wouldn't be paid at all.  So, why take this risk for no gain?  What did you think you might get?" the king pursued._

_"I heard the whipping boy was required to attend classes with the prince, to be available if the teacher needed to discipline him.  I wanted a chance to take classes, even if it was only to listen," the child confessed, finally lowering his gaze._

_King Olscott couldn't help but be touched by the boy's desire to learn, and the quiet courage he exhibited to stand his ground and speak honestly.  He looked the thin boy over more carefully, noting that despite apparently being on his own, he'd tried to clean himself up, and his clothing, though a bit ragged, was clean and well mended.  The King knew he had to have the boy removed, but the father in him felt a fleeting sorrow that any child should be reduced to such a life._

_"What would this learning do for you, do you think?" he queried, a bit more gently than before._

_"Maybe I could find a way to...not have to live this way...when I'm older," Will replied hesitantly, not really able to articulate what this knowledge would do for him, just knowing it would help._

_Jason looked up at his father, startled by the sadness he saw in his dark eyes, not completely understanding the whole conversation, but knowing he liked Will better than any of the other boys he'd met.  He was just opening his mouth to speak when his father signaled a guard to come over._

_"Take this child to be punished, then have him taken back into town and left there," he ordered._

_"But, Father, I choose Will," Jason piped up suddenly, his mind made up as soon as he saw the guard take the other boy's arm._

_"Jason, he is not an acceptable choice.  He's Outcaste, totally inappropriate for the position."_

_"But, you said it was my choice, my decision," Jason insisted with the stubbornness of childhood._

_Olscott opened his mouth to deny his youngest son's request, when he realized he really had promised Jason just that.  He couldn't go back on his word now, not if he wanted to teach his son anything about honoring one's promises.  He looked again at his son's eyes, full of faith in his father's honesty, and the small boy who'd risked much for the faint chance at a better future, and knew he had no choice at all._

_He turned again to the guard, who still held Will's arm.  "Take him to be punished, for sneaking into the courtyard," he ordered, giving both boys a stern look.  "Then to the house master and have him assigned a room in the slave quarters."_

_Jason squeezed his father's hand by way of thanks, and smiled encouragingly at Will, who looked a bit shocked that his plan had succeeded._

_By the time a month had passed King Olscott had all but forgotten his son's constant companion came from an undesirable background.  Jason's delighted teacher had reported that the prince was showing a marked improvement in all subjects, as well as being more attentive and willing in class.  The sometimes-lonely little boy now had someone to share his days with, and the sound of children's laughter often filled the suite of rooms where Jason resided away from the 'public' areas of the castle._

_Will blossomed slowly in Jason's presence, growing a little more open as he spent more time around the happy-natured prince. As the days grew into weeks, then months, then years the two boys continued their unlikely friendship, finding a way to make it encompass their vastly different destinies._

_Not that it was a perfect paradise.  Will was fortunate that Jason was for the most part a good, obedient son, and even when he did deserve punishment, it was never severe.  As it was, half the times Will was punished he had managed to earn the punishment himself, almost always due to his insatiable curiosity, which often tempted him to explore things he had no business exploring.  _

_If Will's downfall was his curiosity, then Jason's was his need to see that justice was done, and to protect others from harm. More than once he got into trouble for taking on other children when he saw them bullying other kids or mistreating animals.  Though Olscott was secretly proud of his son's sense of honor, he was terrified it would be the lad's undoing._

_This peaceful state of affairs lasted over four years, until the boys were twelve, when an event took place that would have a profound effect on both.  That winter there was an attack on the castle by a desperate gang of thieves; they managed to steal the queen's jewelry, and the royal scepter, of all things.  Four servants were injured in the robbery, one mortally wounded.  The king ordered a search party to follow the gang, and Jason, with the confidence of a twelve-year-old requested permission to go with them.  King Olscott absolutely forbade his son from going, and ordered the boy back to his rooms in a distracted manner.  Jason, disappointed and nursing his injured pride, left the room without comment._

_It was two hours later that the king sought out his son, only to find the boy missing.  A frantic search of the castle failed to turn up Jason; and Will, who was found in his room quietly reading, honestly swore he had no idea where the prince had gone. _

_The next afternoon, when the triumphant search party returned, they brought back the gang of thieves and a disheveled, excited prince, who, it turned out, had been instrumental in predicting where the gang would be heading._

_King Olscott was torn between relief in Jason's safe return, pride in the boy's contribution to the capture of the thieves, and anger that his son had blatantly disobeyed him.  Deciding on all three he hugged his son to him, let his mother fuss over him a bit, then sent the boy to wait for him in the library, an ominous sign since that was where discipline always took place.  Jason slunk to the large room without speaking to anyone, and sat down at the large table to await his father and consider what might be in store for him.  His pleasure in the adventure he'd just enjoyed faded as he realized that he had never disobeyed his father like that before, and he felt a sinking chill in his stomach when he realized he'd probably worried both his parents terribly.  As each minute crept by his worry and unhappiness continued to grow until he was sure he couldn't stand it any longer._

_It was an hour before Jason's father arrived with his chief advisors, all of them obviously pleased the thieves had been caught.  But his relief was short lived when his father approached him with an expression of cold anger on his face._

_"Do you realize just how worried your mother and I have been, Jason?" he asked harshly._

_"I'm sorry, Father," he said softly, yet still meeting his father's eyes.  He was worried, and knew he was in trouble, but he loved his father and wasn't afraid of him._

_"You're sorry? Jason, is there an excuse for what you did? Did you not understand me when I forbade you to go?"_

_"No, Sir, I understood."_

_"And, yet, you went, even knowing I'd forbidden you?"_

_"Yes, Sir."_

_"Why?"_

_Jason swallowed nervously, but it was not his nature to lie.  "I wanted to help.  You never let me go when there's trouble, and I knew I could be of use. And I was," he added the last very quietly indeed._

_"I heard that you were helpful. But that in no way changes the fact that you did exactly what you were told not to do.  Do you know why I forbade you to go?"_

_"Because it was dangerous," Jason replied.  "But I was careful," he added._

_"Jason, when you have been properly trained in the use of weapons, self defense, tracking, and all the other skills needed to be a hero, then, and only then, will you be allowed to go on such a search party. Until that time, you will obey me when I tell you that you cannot go.  Right now I am more angry and disappointed in you than I have ever been in any of my sons.  You will learn this lesson, Jason, and you will learn it well.  Send for Jason's whipping boy," he concluded, turning to the servant by the door._

_"Father, please.  It wasn't Will's fault!  Please," Jason gasped out, having forgotten it wasn't his place to bear the punishment for his misdeed.  Though he'd seen Will disciplined over the last few years, it had never seemed a big deal, even Will tended to shrug it off, but this situation was far worse than any previous time._

_"Jason!  You will deport yourself in a manner appropriate to your position," his father barked out roughly._

_The dark haired youth took a shuddering breath and pulled himself together, standing straight by his father's side as Will was brought in.  The green eyes of the other boy sought out Jason, and an expression of relief passed over the wan face before he was led to the table he'd been punished on before.  The housemaster, who administered punishment in Olscott's court, looked to his king for instructions._

_"Breeches down, the strap, until I say to stop," was the terse order, which elicited a soft gasp of dismay form the boy at his side._

_The horrible sound of the thick leather strap hitting Will's backside caused Jason to physically flinch, which he did at every strike thereafter, tears flowing down his face as his friend cried and screamed and writhed under the onslaught. The young prince balled his hands into fists and forced himself to remain silent and still, knowing full well if he attempted to interfere he'd only make it that much worse. _

_It was an eternity before King Olscott ended the torment.  "Enough!" he finally declared, much to the relief of everyone in the room.  Jason's body trembled with suppressed sobs, while Will's gasping cries filled the room.  Turning to his son the king spoke more gently than he had since the boy's return.  "Go to your room, Jason, until I come to get you."_

_Turning without a word, Jason walked woodenly out the door, barely hearing his father's orders to the housemaster to tend to Will.  Once clear of the public area, Jason broke into a run, racing into his room to throw himself on his bed and release the sobs that were tearing him up inside.  Muffling his cries with his pillow, he curled into a miserable ball, the bed shaking with the force of his grief.  He fell asleep with tears slowly drying on his face, his breath still occasionally hitching with the aftermath._

_It was early evening when Olscott woke his youngest son, gently rubbing the boy's shoulders until he roused from sleep._

_"Jason, I wanted to talk to you," he said gently sitting on the edge of the bed and looking kindly at his child._

_"Do you forgive me?" Jason asked, unable to contain the fear that had been topmost in his heart._

_"Jason, you are my son, I'll always forgive you," the large man said, opening his arms to embrace the boy._

_"Thank you," was the muffled response as Jason sought comfort from his father.  For a time they sat like that, not king and prince, but father and son, relieved that an unpleasant event was finally behind them.  _

_"Jason, I want you to know, I was proud of what they said about you, about how you acted, how you helped.  My anger was because you put yourself in danger. I didn't forbid you from going to be mean, or because I thought you couldn't help, but to keep you safe.  I love you far too much to lose you foolishly."_

_"I understand," Jason murmured, looking down and blushing faintly._

_"It was a harsh lesson you learned today, and I'm sorry for that.  Tell me, Jason, what did you learn?"_

_Jason considered the question carefully before answering.  "I learned that I should do what you tell me to," he said with hint of a smile, which his father answered with a fond chuckle and quick hug.  "I also learned that what I do will affect others around me, so I should consider that, too, before I act."_

_"I see," his father prompted him._

_"I worried you and mom.  And by me disobeying you, Will was punished.  I hate that, Father.  I know it's a tradition, but I hate that Will gets hurt for things I do.  It's not fair," he stated, hitting his own leg in frustration._

_"I know, Son. But, life is often unfair.  By the fates, that sounded dumb when my father said it to me, and it still sounds dumb when I say it to you.  But, it IS true.  Now, enough lecture, huh?  Your mother and brothers and I would like for you to join us for dinner," he said with mock formality, earning a tiny grin.  "I think your mother would like to fuss over you a bit."_

_"Okay," Jason said, pulling away from his father a little.  _

_"Why don't you wash your face, brush your hair, make yourself presentable. And, I think you have enough time to run down and check on Will, if you want to," the king told him kindly._

_"Thank you, Father, I do."_

_Olscott stood up and gave Jason a final rough hug before leaving his son to clean up and prepare to face the family. The youth finished quickly, and all but ran the familiar route to Will's small room in the slave quarters.  It wasn't until he stood in front of the closed door that Jason almost lost his nerve, wondering if Will would ever forgive him for what he'd done, for the pain he'd caused him._

_He marshaled his courage and knocked, barely hearing the call to enter.  He opened the door to find Will lying on his bed, on his stomach and covered by a light blanket. The blond was pale; his eyes still red rimmed and dull with pain._

_"Will, I...I'm so sorry," Jason said, sitting down beside the bed so Will could see him without having to move._

_"I thought you wouldn't come back," Will said hoarsely._

_"Of course I'd come back.  Why wouldn't I?" Jason asked with a frown._

_"People do that sometimes.  Even my mom did.  Just left one day and never came back."  Will's voice was sad, and somehow distant; oddly emotionless._

_It was the first time Will had ever mentioned his parents to Jason, who had figured his friend didn't even remember them._

_"I'm sorry.  I promise, Will, I'll always come back, okay? And, I'll never do anything to get you hurt like that again.  You have my word on it," Jason said seriously, putting his hand on Will's blanket covered shoulder._

_It was a promise he had every intention of keeping..._

~*~

"...and when I went to be trained when I was fourteen, Will was released from his position and moved to a hut outside the town.  I returned a year later to find he was being abused regularly by the townspeople, so I helped him find that place in the woods.  When I have a job that I think he could help with, he goes with me," Jason's voice trailed off as the consequences of this most recent time he invited Will along hit.

"He'll be okay," Trini tried to reassure Jason, laying a gentle hand on the strong forearm.

"God, I hope so," Jason muttered, his expression grim.

The others were silent, contemplating the story Jason had just told them, their earlier reactions to Will's caste, and their own limited exposure to Outcastes.  Years of training and conditioning clashed with recent experiences, and each of the young adults had to find their own way to reconcile the two.  

They found a suitable place to set up camp a short distance from the town, and after a quick, cold dinner they settled down to sleep, all of them nearly stumbling from exhaustion.  

Tbc


	9. Chapter Nine

**_Author Note:_**_ Glad folks are enjoying this story!  I should note, these parts were written a bit ago, and I'm tickled at how well some of you have guessed what might be happening in future parts…hope this little bit was worth the wait…and in my defense, all I can say is: "I'm a Yostie, what did you expect?"_

**PART NINE**

"Do you see any guards?" Jason asked in a tense whisper from where he stood behind Tomas, who was peering around the corner of a building at the castle entrance. 

"Two, and they don't look particularly sleepy," Tomas grumbled in reply, turning with Jason to rejoin the other three.  "We're going to need a way to distract them, they have an alarm button right there. If we try a straight out attack they'll have reinforcements there before we can do anything."

Kymberly's eyes lit up with a mischievous glee.  "I have an idea of how we could do that.  Come on, Trini, and let's show these big lugs how it's done!"

Giving the three boys a saucy grin, she pulled the smiling Trini down the street a ways, obviously planning to cut over to the street that went by the castle.  The young men all chuckled a little at her antics, even as they wondered what her big plan was.  The hours of sleep they gotten earlier had helped restore the group's morale, and they were confident of their ability to retrieve Will and make good their escape.

"Oh, my...that's some plan," Zackary chuckled as he caught sight of the girls approaching the two guards from up the street.  Tomas and Jason followed his gaze and couldn't help low exclamations of appreciation for their companions' appearance.

Somehow, in a way that was certainly a mystery to the young men who were observing them, the girls had turned their simple outfits of pants and loose blouses into outfits more suitable for ladies of loose virtue.

Kym had opened the top half of her blouse, and pulled the shoulders down so it was somehow balanced on her upper arms, while the lower part was loosely tucked into the snug pants showing off her tiny waist and shapely legs.  Her chestnut hair was loose and tumbled, giving her an almost rakish air; an adventurous young lady who wasn't afraid to play. 

Trini's blouse was still modestly buttoned, and tucked tightly into her pants, resulting in a look that was a sleek as Kym's was voluptuous.  Her ebony hair fell like silk over her shoulders, partially obscuring her face, giving her an alluring air of mystery.  She moved with a cat-like grace that contrasted nicely with Kym's energetic bounce.

"Hi, boys.  How come you're stuck out her all by yourselves?" Kymberly asked, swaying a bit as if she'd been drinking.

"Well well...look what we have here," the younger guard said, putting an appreciative arm around Kymberly's tiny waist.  "Are you our reward for being good boys?" he asked teasingly.

"Oh, I don't want a GOOD boy," the princess mock pouted, glancing furtively at Trini as she ran a hand teasingly up the guard's chest.  He was standing with his back against the wall, completely relaxed.

Trini had glided up to the older guard, who wasn't quite as unsuspecting as his comrade.  "What are you...ahem...ladies doing out here?"

The warrior priestess shrugged and gave him a coy look.  "We were invited to a party, but I guess we got lost."

"Guess that's our good fortune, huh?" the younger guard said, leering.  His older compatriot had relaxed, seeing the two girls seemed pretty harmless, and put a hand on Trini's shoulder.

"Oh, yeah, definitely our good fortune.  Yours too, if you know what I mean," he grinned, missing the wink Trini gave Kym.

It was over in a heartbeat.  The diminutive Kymberly simply took the hand she'd been rubbing over the guard's chest and rammed upward, snapping his chin up and smashing his head into the stone wall behind him.  Trini whirled away from her target and lashed out a perfect spin kick, dropping the man like a sack of grain.

The two guards had scarcely hit the ground with Jason, Tomas and Zackary arrived on the scene.

"Whew, remind me NOT to get you girls angry at me, okay?" Zackary said with a mock terror that did nothing to hide the admiration in his gaze.

"Great job, girls," Jason told them, ignoring Zackary's tomfoolery.  They quickly bound and gagged the unconscious guards and dragged them into a nearby alley.

"Okay, Tomas and I are going in.  If we don't come out in a reasonable amount of time, get out of here; don't try a rescue.  Because, the truth is, if we don't come out on our own power, we won't be coming out at all.  Got it?" Jason told them sternly.

"Got it.  Now, hurry up before someone comes looking for those guards," Kymberly shot back, hiding her concern under a cover of impatience.

"Yes, ma'am," Tomas grinned at her, not fooled in the least.

They stepped into the dim corridor cautiously, moving with soundless speed and confidence born of experience toward the place where access to the dungeons should be located.  Finding the entrance, they eased the door open, gliding into the deeper gloom silent as shadows.  There were two guards in the open area between the dank cells, but no sign of Will.  Still concealed by shadow, Tomas pantomimed throwing something to distract the guards, waiting until he saw Jason's nod of approval.  He pulled out of his pocket a small stone he'd brought for just this purpose and lobbed it over the guards' heads toward the far wall.  The two men instinctively turned toward the sound, giving Jason and Tomas all the opening they needed to soundlessly fell the guards with hard blows to the back of their necks.

Quickly binding and gagging the erstwhile jailers, the two heroes took opposite sides of the room, peering into each cell looking for their missing comrade.

"Here," Tomas hissed, bringing Jason to his side with the keys he'd removed from the guard.  Opening the door and stepping inside, Jason gasped in anguish when he saw what they'd done to his childhood friend.

"Ah, damn," Tomas muttered, moving beside Jason. 

"Help me get him down," Jason ordered softly, moving to untie Will's hands, which were tied to a low ceiling beam, holding the young man so tightly upright his feet barely touched the floor.  He had been stripped to the waist and beaten viciously, his back a solid mass of bruised and torn flesh, and even in the dim light they could see the places he'd been burned.

"Got it," Tomas gasped, stepping back as Will's limp body fell into Jason's strong arms.  "Is he alive?"

"Yeah.  Can you find something to wrap him in?"

"Here, use this," Tomas said, removing his cloak and handing it to Jason without hesitation.  They had both worn their dark cloaks to help them blend into the shadows.

"Thanks.  Come on, let's get out of here," Jason decided, lifting Will easily in his powerful arms.  

Tomas looked around the cell quickly, grabbing Will's clothing and carry pouch from the corner where they'd been tossed carelessly, then took the lead as they went back the way they'd come.  Luck was with them; they didn't see anyone in the night quiet corridors, and it was with a sigh of gratitude that they opened the door and stepped out into the fresh air.

As soon as they emerged, three figures leading six horses materialized from the shadows across the street, and it was the work of a few minutes to get everyone mounted and started out of town, Jason holding Will on the saddle in front of him.

~*~

The horses had benefited from a rest as much as their riders had, and they were able to maintain a brisk pace through the long night, as the six adventurers made their way from South East Onyx and the territory of the Black Knight.  They had elected to use a more angled route this time, which would take them into South Province sooner, and hopefully enable them to elude any pursuers.  

They were nearly to the border when they came across a shallow river shining like a ribbon of diamonds in the mellow moonlight.  Dawn is nearly upon them, and with it the chance to check their back trail for any of the Black Knight's soldiers.  Stopping to rest and water their horses, they considered their options.

"We should probably keep traveling off the beaten path, just in case," Jason suggested, shifting Will a little in his grip.  They'd wrapped him in a couple of blankets in addition to the cloak, cocooning him warmly in the soft folds.  He'd not stirred once during the long ride or infrequent rest stops.

"Do you really think it's necessary?" Kymberly asked.

"He knows Zackary took the Portent Orb, and if he figures out we are trying to collect them all, he'll figure South Sapphire is our next destination," Tomas explained.

"They think you are all headed toward North East Garnet, to see Skullavich," came the hoarse whisper from the blanket-swaddled figure Jason supported.

"What?  Why would they think that?" Tomas asked as they all turned their attention to Jason's passenger as the burly young man worked to partially unwrap his friend.

"I told them that was where you were headed," Will explained softly, looking around a bit curiously now that Jason had uncovered his head.

"And they would believe you?" Trini wondered.

"Sure they would.  Why wouldn't they?  After all, I'm Outcaste; incapable of loyalty, integrity, or courage.  Everyone knows that."  He looked at the others with an inexpressible sorrow in his light eyes.

Jason instinctively tightened his hold on his friend, forcing a cheerful tone; grateful Will's position in front of him in the saddle made it so he couldn't see his old friend.  "Good thing for us they don't know YOU then, right?"  He glanced around at the others, noticing their guilty expressions and realizing they would have some problems to sort out once Will was healthy again.

Will gave a soft derisive snort at Jason's comment, then his weight seemed to settle back into Jason's embrace, and the larger teen realized his injured friend had passed out again.

"Jason," Tomas spoke up suddenly, drawing Jason's attention even as the dark haired young man was replacing the blankets around Will.  "I know of a place where Will's injuries can be treated, where he'll be safe to recover."

"Take us there," the king's son replied without hesitation, repositioning his burden so they could continue, as the first golden threads of dawn lightened the sky to the east.

~*~

For a pig farm, it was remarkably clean and tidy looking, Trini thought as they approached the small dwelling where Tomas's friend lived.

"I helped Farcus out a couple of years ago," Tomas explained as they rode slowly toward the blue trimmed cottage on the far outskirts of South Turquoise.  "He'd been trained as a healer in his youth, but farming was his first love.  I know he's kept his hand in the healing arts, if only to treat his animals. But," he added, seeing the others didn't seem to appreciate that comment, "he still knows a lot about treating human patients.  Trust me, he's a good guy."

"We ARE trusting you, Tomas, and he'd better be," Jason declared, meeting Tomas's eyes with a grim look.

"Let me see if he's home."

Tomas dismounted and started toward the front door, only to have it open before he could even start up the front steps.  The man who walked out the door was nearly as tall as Tomas, but possibly twice the girth, with a pudgy, friendly face that was presently split in a wide grin.

"Tomas!" he cried, hurrying down to grip his visitor's hand in a firm greeting.  "It's great to see you!  And your friends.  Give me a few minutes and I'll see about making breakfast for all of you, I can tend to your horses.  If you need a place to sleep, well, there's not enough room in the house, but the barn is warm and dry..."

"Farcus, stop, we can't stay."  Tomas interrupted the man's flow of words with a hand on the meaty shoulder.

"Oh.  Well, what can I do for you, Tomas?"

"We have an injured companion, he needs looking after," Tomas said, indicating the blanket wrapped Will.

"Of course, bring him in," the big man said quickly, turning to lead the way into his home.  Tomas again reached out and grabbed his shoulder, halting him and causing him to turn to the younger man in confusion.

"Farcus, he's Outcaste," Tomas said quietly.

The hazel eyes didn't flinch.  "Is he your friend?"

"Yes."  The answer came without hesitation.

"Then bring him on inside," Farcus said decisively.  "It's not helping him any, us standing out here and talking."

Tomas gave Jason a rueful grin and helped bundle Will into the warm dwelling, settling him on the narrow bed Farcus indicated.

With reassuring efficiency the big man unwrapped his patient, letting out a low whistle when he saw the injuries.  "Who did this to him?"

"The Black Knight," Jason told him.

"Then he's lucky to even be alive," Farcus commented calmly.  "I suspect it's best I don't know why you ran afoul of him, but I assure you I'll take good care of your friend, and protect him as well as I can."

"Thank you," Jason said, kneeling down by the bed and shaking Will gently.  "Will?  Will, come on, wake up for just a moment."

The blond groaned in protest, but the green eyes reluctantly opened, focusing blearily on Jason.

"Will, we're going to leave you here for a few days," he began, causing a look of alarm to cross the pale features of the injured teen.  He reached out a gentle hand to reassure his friend.  "Just a few days!  I promise.  Farcus will take good care of you while we go on to the next place. But I promise, we'll come back for you."  He gave a sigh of relief as Will calmed down, the trust in his look both reassuring and heartbreaking.  Jason stood up and turned to Farcus and Tomas.

"We WILL be back for him in two or three days," he assured the big man, glancing again at the slight figure on the bed.

"He'll be here, if I have anything to say about it.  Is there anything else you need?"

"Would you mind if we left his horse here as well?"

"Of course not, just tie it to the front porch railing and I'll tend to it as soon as I have Will settled."

"Thank you, Farcus," Tomas said as he and Jason prepared to go.

"Least I can do after what you did for me.  You guys be careful, don't go bringing back any more injuries," Farcus said, escorting them to the door.

"We'll try not to," Jason assured him as they tied Will's horse to the rail and remounted their own steeds.  "See you in a couple of days," he reiterated as the five of them rode away, heading toward South Sapphire and the third Portent Orb.

~*~

Jason settled back on his bedroll, staring up at the stars that shone with placid indifference in the night sky.  They had ridden as far as they could before the approaching darkness forced them to halt, still almost four hours from South Sapphire.  Dinner had been a quiet affair; they were all too tired to be particularly social, and frankly, they were still too upset.

It was so ironic that, as awful as what happened to Will was, it drew them together in some indefinable way, and Jason couldn't help but think it would help them in the long run as they sought out the rest of the Portent Orbs.  But that sense of unity had come at a steep price, and the young man could only hope that Will would forgive them for their treatment of him, and for not getting to him before he'd been hurt so horribly.  Jason knew he had a burden of blame to bear for setting Will up to be hurt by their companions, but he'd doubted they would accept Will on just his word.  So he did his part in the deception, and had hoped that if Will's caste became known that by then they would have accepted him and would be able to accept his caste.  He would never have done it if he'd known they would turn on him so completely, and in the process hurt him more deeply than any physical pain could reach.

Unsettled by his thoughts, Jason finally rose and slipped from the camp, leaving the others to their rest.  They had found a spot near a small lake, and he made his way to the shore and sat down on a log, staring at the darkly reflective surface and thinking of his future.

"Are you okay?"  The whisper soft voice startled him, and he turned to see Kymberly standing at the base of a large tree watching him solemnly.

"Yeah, I'm fine.  You should be sleeping, Kym.  It's going to be a long day tomorrow," he scolded gently.

"I could say the same to you," she countered, walking over to sit beside him.

"I can't seem to relax," he confessed, his gaze wandering back out over the lake.

She stared at the water herself, speaking as if he wasn't there.  "Yeah, guilt will do that for you."

"You shouldn't feel bad, Kym.  We should have been more up front, this shouldn't have happened," he sighed.

"You're right about that.  It shouldn't have happened.  I'm so disappointed in myself I could just scream.  I thought I was more tolerant than that, better than the sort who judges only on social status and caste.  Yet, there I was, saying hateful things to him, and for what?  Because of what he was born.  We all were, you were right.  Only an accident of birth separates us.  You and me from Trini from Zackary and Tomas.  What kind of system is this?  I used to go into town, to spend time among the villagers, disguising who I was so I could mingle without problem.  I'm a fraud and a liar, the first time I encounter someone who is Outcaste, I shun him out of hand, even though I know he's a good person, a kind person," she sighed deeply.  "How can I be a queen, with that sort of attitude?"

"Well, you know better now, so I guess all we can do is recognize the lesson and move on.  Not make the same mistake again," he mused, smiling down at her when she looked up at him.  

"Do you think he'll forgive us?" she asked hesitantly.

"Probably.  Will's like that.  He just accepts who he is, what he is.  He knows," Jason replied.

"That's the saddest thing of all," Kym murmured.  "That someone has learned to accept random cruelty.  Gods, there has to be a better way."

"If you ever find it, I'd be interested in learning," Jason commented.  "And, as a future queen, you could be the one to implement it."  He smiled at her again, noticing how the lake's muted gleam shone in her eyes as she gazed over it with a faraway expression on her face.  His smile hid his inner turmoil, as he felt a sharp, almost painful pang of desire for the lovely young woman.  It was born, not only of her beauty, but her kindness, compassion, and genuine concern for others.  He knew Tomas loved her, and that Kym was beginning to love the tall young man, but sitting here with her at his side he could all too easily imagine a lifetime of her by his side.  He bit back a frustrated moan and looked back over the lake.

"Wouldn't that be something? To be part of changing such an unfair system?  It's a nice dream," she said a touch sadly.

"You might be surprised how much difference just one person can make, if it's the right person."

She did smile again at that, and turned once more to her companion.  "I'll keep it in mind," she promised, biting back a yawn.

"Looks like you should be in bed.  And me, too, I suppose.  We want to take off early.  May I see you home, Your Highness?" he offered formally, standing and reaching out a warm hand.

"I would be delighted," she replied with a slight curtsey.  They walked quietly back to the camp and soon settled down to sleep.

Tbc


	10. Chapter Ten

**_Author's Note:_**_ Thanks as always for the wonderful feedback.  This will be the last part for a while, I'm afraid, as I'm having surgery within the next month and am going to be a bit distracted.  But not to fear, I will be back…insert evil laugh sound effects here KT_

PART TEN

Farcus was a solitary man, not necessarily by choice, but by fate and circumstance.  He raised pigs, an honorable enough occupation, but not particularly glamorous or desirable to others.  But the big man was untroubled by loneliness.  He had his work, his livestock, the surrounding woods, and a loyal, if profoundly ugly, dog to fill his days with tasks and companionship.  He had originally trained as a healer, but a love of the outdoors and a burning need to be an active part of the cycle of life, took him from his quickly growing medical practice to this isolated farm outside the town.

He'd bought the farm from an extremely elderly woman, who had grown too frail to run it any longer.  She stayed with him for a couple of months, until they were both certain he knew everything he needed to in order to keep the animals alive and healthy, and during that time she'd also taught him more about the local herbs and folk remedies than any other teacher he'd had.  With her information, on top of what he'd already learned, he had an impressive base of knowledge to draw from.

Will was the fortunate, if unaware, beneficiary of that knowledge.  He had a vague memory of a gentle giant carefully sitting him upright and insisting he drink a bitter brew, after which he didn't remember anything until he woke up the next morning in a small room wrapped in soft blankets on a narrow bed.  The young man very carefully maneuvered himself into a sitting position and took stock of his physical condition.

His back hurt abysmally, every movement awakened a burning, pulling, tearing pain that brought muffled gasps of pain from the slight blond.  The rest of his body hurt as well, he pretty much felt like one continuous bruise, and suspected if he looked he'd find that wasn't far from the truth.  He realized he'd been stripped completely, carefully bathed and his injuries slathered with a soothing salve.  He had only the vaguest recollection of Jason's arrival in the Black Knight's dungeon, and snatches of a miserably painful ride to wherever this place was.  One thing did stand out clearly; Jason promising he would return for Will, no matter what.  That thought brought an incredible measure of comfort, helping assuage the pain of the others' anger.  

He should have known better, should have expected they would shun him if they knew his secret.  It was hardly the first time it had happened; a potential friend turned away because of his being Outcaste.  He wondered about the big man who he thought belonged in this place. Would he want Will gone now that he was awake?  Will hoped not, he still hurt far too much to savor the idea of riding his horse for any length of time, assuming, of course, that he still had a horse.

So many questions.  So many possible problems.  He'd never get it figured out if he stayed in bed, so he reluctantly rose unsteadily to his feet and looked around for his clothing.  He found them neatly folded on a chair; clean and neatly mended.  He ran his fingers over a tidily mended section of shirt and wondered who had taken such efforts, it was better than some of the repair work that he'd seen on Jason's clothes, and he had those done professionally.  Gratefully he dressed, pausing often to rest from his labors.

"What do you think you're doing, young man?" the voice startled Will as he walked into the larger, main room of the home.

"I...I thought I should at least get up," Will stammered, looking up at the much larger man with some trepidation.  If this guy took it into his head to hurt him, Will would have no way to defend himself.

"If you want to sit out here and visit a bit, that's just fine.  Anything else is out of the question," Farcus said sternly, pointing toward a comfortable looking chair near a cheerful fireplace with a resolute expression.  

Too sore and intimidated to argue, Will gratefully sank into the comfortable cushions with a sigh of relief.  He was already beginning to regret getting out of bed in the first place, and it was all he could do to sit upright.

"Here, drink this.  It'll help the pain and make you feel a little better," Farcus instructed him, handing over an earthen mug filled with a grassy smelling concoction.

"What is it?  And, I'm sorry, but I don't know your name," Will added, holding the warm mug in both hands and sipping cautiously.

"That's a special brew made from a variety of herbs that grow locally, and my name is Farcus," the man grinned, holding out a hand for Will to shake.

Will reached out and shook the big hand with a mild sense of wonder.  The man had bathed and bandaged him, it was a foregone conclusion that he knew of Will's caste, yet he was treating him as if he was a normal person.  Will found it quite confusing and he looked up at his benefactor expecting to see condemnation, and instead only saw kindness and sympathy.

"Thank you for taking care of me," Will said past an unexpected lump in his throat.  "Though I don't remember exactly how I came to be here."

"Tomas brought you.  Well, Tomas and your other friends.  They went on to South Sapphire, but will be coming back for you in a couple of days," Farcus reported serenely, settling down on a chair opposite and busying himself shelling peas.

"And you don't mind?"

"Not at all.  Tomas did a great boon for me; this is a small favor to ask.  Besides, I always felt, as a healer, it was my place to help others, regardless of their situation.  And you definitely needed a healer.  Mind if I ask how that happened?"  Farcus barely glanced up at his guest, but appeared to concentrate on his mindless task.  Somehow his seeming lack of attention made it easier for Will to talk to him, and slowly the story of his exposure to the others, and his capture and subsequent torture was told, the grim tale oddly out of place in the peaceful room.

"You were very brave, to risk yourself like that," Farcus observed mildly.

"We had to do something, and I had every intention of getting out of there without being caught.  But I messed it up," Will muttered, staring at the fire moodily.

"When they were beating you, did you give in? Tell them where your friends had gone?" Farcus queried.

"I told them that Jason and the others had headed toward North East Garnet, toward Skullavich.  It was all I could think to do."

"So, let me see if I understand this.  You placed yourself in danger to let the others get safely away, then under extreme physical torture, you lied, further protecting them.  And yet you still seem to think it is odd someone would take you in, care for you?  That's a strange attitude, Will."  Farcus shook his head in a puzzled manner as he spoke.

"I'm Outcaste," Will mumbled, unable to look up at his companion.

"So?  Will, from what you've said, and what I saw, Jason, at least, doesn't care about your caste.  I suspect, from what I saw of Tomas and the others, and what you've told me, that they feel badly, very badly, for how they treated you," Farcus waited until Will looked over at him before continuing.  "I know caste matters to most people, but not to me.  You're safe here, Will.  And welcome to stay for as long as you need to."

Will felt a tightness in his throat, a surge of emotion he was in no condition to fight, and he turned suddenly misty eyes toward the fire again.  "Thank you," he whispered unsteadily, not trusting himself to say more.

Farcus seemed to understand his guest's situation, and didn't press further, but instead rose and went to the small kitchen area.  He rattled around for a bit before returning with a steaming mug of hearty soup.  

"You need to eat.  Build your strength back up," he informed Will, handing him the mug before turning to build up the fire a little more.

"Where is this place?  I never figured a healer's place would look like this," Will asked, gratefully sipping his soup and looking around curiously.

Farcus told his guest how a healer came to end up a pig farmer, then asked about Will's past adventures with Jason.  Between trading stories and a lively discussion on different aspects of the healing arts, the day passed very quietly and pleasantly, but by the time the sun sank behind the trees Will was more than ready to go to bed.

Fortified by more of the medicinal drink Farcus gave him, Will let the big man treat his back and other injuries, before falling into a deep, healing sleep.  When morning arrived the young man was pleasantly surprised to find his back was significantly better, and getting up and dressed was not nearly the ordeal it had been the day before.  

A hearty breakfast further increased his physical condition, so when Farcus suggested a short walk in the nearby woods, Will was quite amenable to the idea.  The larger man made sure his injured guest was warmly bundled up, then led the way to a well worn path, which led to a pristine pond surrounded by white flowers.

"It's beautiful here!" Will gasped softly, his eyes wide with wonder at the serene beauty of the area.   

But there was more to the spot than just beauty, there was an atmosphere of peace, a harmony that enveloped Will and brought solace to his wounded spirit.  He seemed to soak in the ambience, becoming more relaxed as the minutes passed.  Then came a subtle shift in the environment, a feeling of anticipation, of waiting for...something.  Will looked around, suddenly unsettled, unsure, until he saw what had caused the change, and time stood still as wonder overcame his mind and for a seemingly eternal minute he forgot to breathe.

It was so white it glowed, even in the deepest of shadow, and its movements were so graceful and light it seemed to glide rather than walk.  The single horn shone with it's own white-blue light above eyes that were luminous with a timeless wisdom.  The unicorn stood a few feet away, observing Will, who was sitting on a fallen log, and Farcus, who stood leaning against a nearby tree.

"I...I'd heard they existed...but I never...never expected to see one," Will stammered softly, afraid to move for fear he'd frighten the unicorn into leaving, and he was hoping to be able to watch it a while longer.  Forever, if possible.

"I see him from time to time," Farcus said, just as softly.  "And every time, it's like the first time."

"He's incredible," Will agreed.

The unicorn seemed to finish its internal debate, and he took a delicate step toward the seated Will, pausing as if unsure of the young man's reaction.

Will forced himself to sit still, his eyes drinking in the sight of the mystical beast, vainly hoping he would be able to remember every curve and shape, yet knowing he wouldn't, and already grieving that loss.  He kept expecting the unicorn to stop, to turn away, but he kept approaching until he was close enough to touch.  

Holding his breath in anticipation, Will reached out a timid hand, and placed it hesitantly on the side of the proudly arched neck, over the gossamer silk of the unicorn's mane.  They both flinched a little at the contact, but neither moved away, and Will was vaguely aware of Farcus's sigh from behind him.

How long they stayed that way was impossible for Will to tell.  A heartbeat, a lifetime, or somewhere in between, it didn't matter.  There was no time, no other world, nothing but the infinite wisdom and compassion that shone from the limpid eyes that gazed into Will's very soul.  

At last the unicorn broke the contact, only to lay its horn against the side of Will's vulnerable neck.  The spiraled horn began to glow more brightly, the luminance enveloping Will in a ghostly white-blue shroud, which seemed to be absorbed into the damaged body of the young man.  Then the beast stepped back, gave Farcus another meaningful look, then bounded off into the woods, leaving an indescribable emptiness in his wake.

"Are you okay, Will?" Farcus asked, stepping up to the still mesmerized younger man.

"That was incredible," Will said, turning bedazzled eyes to his newest friend.  "I can't believe that happened."

"I've never seen him touch anyone," Farcus admitted.  "But, I guess you are the one I've been waiting for."

"Huh?" Will started to ask Farcus what he meant when an expression of amazement crossed his thin features.

"What is it?  What's wrong?" 

"Nothing.  Nothing is wrong.  Oh, my Gods, it's gone.  The pain.  It's gone.  All of it.  I feel...I feel good," Will's eyes were wide with wonder when he turned to Farcus.  "I'd heard that unicorns had that power, but..."

"Let me see.  Turn around," Farcus requested, lifting Will's shirt when the young man complied.  "Your back is healed," he said softly.  "There are scars, but they're completely healed.  I'll be darned."

Will sank slowly back down on the log.  "Why did you bring me here, Farcus?  And what did you mean that I am the one?" he asked after some thought.

"Come back to the house, and I'll tell you about it," the portly man invited, urging his guest to stand.  "I have a lot to tell you. And something to give you."

~*~

"I bought more than just the land and the animals from the old lady who sold me this place.  Daphne, she'd had a fascinating life.  In her youth she'd fallen in love with a powerful wizard, they traveled together doing 'random good deeds' as she called it.  Anyway, they had a great time, until their last adventure, some forty seasons before I even met her.  She never gave me all the details, but I guess he went up against a dark wizard, and managed to defeat him.  But, the victory came at the cost of his own life.  But, before he died, he passed on something to Daphne, gave her a duty to fulfill in his place.  Which she did, for forty long, lonely seasons, until she passed it on to me.  That's why she stayed with me for a while, to see if I was worthy to take over her duty.  Guess I passed her test, or whatever, because she trusted me."  The big man looked around the comfortable room with a pensive expression.  

"Her lover was not only a great wizard, but had the gift of prophecy.  And years before he had acquired a very powerful talisman, which his visions told him had to be kept safe until the right person came along, the one for whom the power was intended.  The person had to be pure of spirit, according to his vision.  Anyway, since she was simply a kindly woman, not a wizard or prophetess, she wasn't sure how to tell if a person was pure of heart.  Then she saw the unicorn.  And kept seeing it.  Finally, she started bringing folks who she thought might qualify out to the pond, including me.  I saw the unicorn, but it wouldn't let me touch it.  That was the acid test, according to Daphne.  Anyway, to make a long story short, today you proved it.  You are the one that was foretold."  Farcus smiled at the shocked expression on Will's face.

"But, Farcus, I'm nobody.  It can't be me," he protested, looking shocked.  A lifetime of 'invisibility' had not prepared him for this.

The portly man chuckled fondly.  "Of course it can be you.  Here, let me get it," he said, heaving himself from the chair and crossing to the far side of the room.  He removed a false panel on the wall and reached in to remove a cloth wrapped bundle, then sat back down before unwrapping it, holding it up to for Will's incredulous inspection.

The third Portent Orb was nestled in the large, meaty hand.

"This is yours, Will," he said, holding out the orb for the young man to take.

"Mine?" he whispered, taking it gingerly.  It immediately glowed a soft, muted blue in his slightly trembling hands.

"Do you know what that is?" Farcus asked curiously.

"It's a Portent Orb; we had been looking for them," Will murmured, inspecting the orb closely.  "But we thought it was in South Sapphire, though."  He looked up with a startled expression at Farcus's burst of laughter.

"Oh, my," the big man chuckled.  "I'm sorry, Will, I really am.  I should have asked where and why they were going, I could have saved them a trip.  They must never have been to South Sapphire if they didn't know, but I guess that's possible, it is pretty remote and off the beaten path," Farcus rambled.

"What are you talking about?" Will wondered.

"Ah, Will, sorry.  See, the Portent Orb in South Sapphire?  It's a bar.  Sort of famous, in a strange way, since only...ahem...unusual patrons frequent it."

"'Unusual patrons?'" Will prompted him.

"Well, some folks, they like to date, well, folks like them.  You know?" Farcus hedged.

"I'm not sure what you're talking about," Will confessed.

"Some men like to date other men, and some women other women, you know?"

Will blushed in realization, he'd heard of such things, but didn't know there were special places for them to go.

"I see you do understand.  Oh, boy.  I bet your friends got a heck of a shock," the big man couldn't help but grin at the thought.

"I should take off tomorrow, before they spend too much time looking for something they won't find," Will decided, realizing it was too late to start toward the town that day.

"I'm not sure, Will.  I did promise to keep you here."

"Until I was well, which I am.  I have to go, Farcus, surely you see that," he argued, not wanting to offend the man who had done so much for him.

Farcus sighed heavily.  "I do, actually.  Very well, but tomorrow, and with a good meal in you," he agreed.

~*~

As South Sapphire slowly faded from view behind them, the five teens tried to ignore the niggling idea that somehow they'd blown it.  They had entered the town determined to find the third Portent Orb that was reputed to be there, only to find the rumors apparently referred to a bar with a unique clientele.

It was a disheartened group that rode away from the town after spending a frustrating day and a half trying to find any clue, any hint, of the Orb they sought.  Finally they were left with no option but to admit defeat and hope that they would find the 'missing' Orb during the remainder of their quest.  It was a faint hope, at best, and their morale was lowered still further by the setback.

There had been no discussion of the decision to return to South Turquoise to check on Will, they had simply started back, using the main road this time.  They had seen no hint of pursuing minions of the Black Knight, and concluded that Will's deception had been successful, so the main road would be safe enough.  Even though it was the primary route between South Sapphire and South Turquoise, it was virtually deserted; it was not unusual at all for someone to travel all day and not see another person.

"We'll just ask more questions along the way, maybe starting in South Turquoise," Zackary commented, trying to restore some semblance of hope to the group.

"Might be a good idea," Trini mused.  "It seems like there was supposed to be an Orb in every province except two."

"Yeah," Kym muttered, her hand fluttering over the collar, as was her habit when discussing the Orbs.  It was well above her collarbones now, though still very loose.  But there could be no doubt in any of their minds that it was indeed shrinking a bit more every day.

"You can't give up hope, Kymberly," Tomas insisted, reaching out to put his hand on her shoulder comfortingly.  Kymberly almost always rode at Tomas's side these days, seeming content in his presence.

She gave him a wordless smile of thanks before turning her attention back to the road ahead.  "Someone's coming," she noted.

They all looked up to see a solitary rider approaching at a quick clip, the figure somehow familiar.  It wasn't until he got much closer that they recognized him with considerable surprise.

"Will!"  Jason called out, riding up ahead anxiously.

"Jason," the blond greeted his friend, his smile lighting up his face.

"Are you okay?  How...how..." words failed the burly prince as he waved an expressive hand in Will's direction.  The others had joined them, looking equally amazed at the obvious health of the young man who'd been left battered and barely conscious two days before.

"I had an encounter with a unicorn," Will said shyly, coloring slightly.  "He...he healed my injuries."

"You saw a real unicorn?" Kymberly asked incredulously, her eyes shining at Will's nod.  "I always wondered if they were real."

"That's not all.  It seems Farcus had a special duty, and decided I was...worthy...of this."  He glanced around to see if they were being observed, then reached into his pouch and pulled out the Portent Orb, holding it out to the others.

"Oh, man, this is wonderful!" Tomas exclaimed, beaming at Kymberly happily.

"I wanted to get to you before you took too much extra time looking for it in South Sapphire," Will explained, handing it to Jason with a wistful smile, before turning away quietly.  "If you don't mind, I'd like to use the horse until I get home, and you could pick it up on your way back to King Caplyn's?"

"No!  That's not what we want," Tomas said sharply, startling Will who paled a little.

"Okay," Will said mildly, moving to dismount right there.  "It's really not that far."

"Wait! What he meant is that we don't want you to leave," Zackary put in, moving closer to stop Will from dismounting.  

"It's okay, I know what I am, how things work.  I'm sorry I deceived you, I should never have done that," Will said softly, unable to meet their eyes and see the condemnation there.

"Will, please," Trini said calmly, but with a firm tone that stopped the young man in mid-dismount.  He turned curious green eyes to her, his expression one of intermingled fear and hope.

"We're sorry, all of us, for what we said, for how we treated you," Kym told him gently. 

"Yeah, you'd think we knew better than to judge you that way, but..." Zackary trailed off, looking uncomfortable.

"You caught us by surprise, but that's no excuse," Tomas added.

"We'd like you to stay, let us make it up to you, if we can," Trini concluded.

Their voices had intermingled some, overlapped at times, but the message was clear, if very unexpected, and Will looked around at the others a little dazed before meeting Jason's smiling eyes.

"I...I'd like to stay," he said at last, smiling a little tentatively.  The pain that had lodged around his heart faded to nearly nothing, leaving another scar on an already bruised soul.  But the joy that evolved from that pain made it all worthwhile.

"Then do," Zackary suggested with a deadpan look that cracked the others up.  The laughter helped wash away the awkwardness, and with their worries about Will set to rest, and the third Portent Orb in their possession, they set out toward South West Rose Quartz with renewed hope.

~*~

Camp that night was livelier than it had been in a long time; laughter rang out often as now familiar chores were completed.  It seemed that Trini, Zackary, Tomas and Kymberly were determined to show Will in action, not just in words, that they truly were sorry for their earlier actions, and the sense of coalescing grew stronger as it stretched to encompass Will.

The quiet young man had joined in the good-natured fun without hesitation, but, being unused to a lot of social interaction, was grateful to leave camp to check that the horses were secure.  The quiet was soothing, to his slightly frayed nerves, and he was so intent on ensuring the horses were properly tied that he didn't realize Jason had joined him.

"You okay?" the prince asked, stepping back when Will jumped in surprise.

"Yeah.  But I'd be better if you didn't sneak up on me," Will answered, breathing a bit heavily as his heart started to slow down toward normal again.

"I didn't realize I was sneaking," Jason smiled in reply.  "I just wanted to see if you were really okay."

Will looked at Jason over the back of Tomas's horse.  "I'm fine.  Was just lost in thought, I guess.  I really didn't think they'd want me to stay.  What'd you do? Threaten them?"

"I didn't do anything, Will.  They felt bad, very bad, about what they said.  I told them to go on without me, I was planning to get you out alone, but they wouldn't let me.  They insisted they go as well, which was a good thing since I doubt I could have done it without them."

Will looked down, moving to check Trini's horse before he again caught Jason's eyes with his own.  "Thank you, Jason.  For coming back for me," he said simply, his eyes shining with the gratitude he couldn't find words for.

"I promised you years ago I would always come back, didn't I?  I meant it then, and I mean it now.  You're my friend Will, I won't desert you." 

Will colored a little, turning his attention to the horse he was checking.  "It was that thought that helped get me through," he confessed.

"You shouldn't have had to wait," Jason grumbled, following Will as the smaller teen moved from horse to horse.  "I should have gotten you back long before you were taken to the Black Knight's stronghold."

"You had to get the others out.  That was the whole idea," Will pointed out reasonably.  "Besides, it all worked out fine, I got healed, and got the Portent Orb."

"Yeah, worked out just great," Jason growled, looking away with a frown.  "I hate when you get hurt, Will."

"Well, Jason, I can't say I like that either.  But it's over with.  Let it go.  Please.  It was my choice, my decision, that got me captured.  My decision to hide my caste from the others.  Nothing that happened was your responsibility."  Will's quiet voice was very sure, and despite himself Jason found he was feeling better.  He kept Will company until all the horses were secured, then the two of them rejoined their friends in the warm circle of light provided by their campfire.

tbc


	11. Chapter Eleven

**_Author's Notes:_**_  Sorry for the lengthy delay folks, seems I must have had a 'muse-ectomy' along with the other surgery.  I can't promise a chapter a week, but I will try my darndest to keep up a more steady stream of updates on this tale.  Thanks and hugs to all you who sent your best wishes and kind reviews for this little story.  Without you this wouldn't be possible…_

Part Eleven

Passing into Southwest Province was rather like entering some enchanted kingdom from a child's fairy tale.  The legend was that many centuries before, when the different provinces were first delineated, the majority of the magical community chose Southwest Province as their own, and used their magic to ensure an especially beautiful and productive land.  The mountains were marbled with veins of pure quartz in colors ranging from amber to pink to snow white.  The open meadows were rich with wild roses, irises and other wild flowers.  Bubbling streams fed crystal pure lakes, and even the towns seemed to be a part of the natural landscape, rather than an intrusion upon it.

Though the province no longer boasted a particular wealth of magical beings amongst its populace, it somehow managed to maintain a magical atmosphere.  Here was the only current matriarchal rule; Queen Katherine reigned, and at present had shown no signs of wanting to marry or produce an heir to the throne.  

A strong young woman of extraordinary beauty and bearing, she was considered a benevolent, if somewhat strict, ruler; wise beyond her twenty-three seasons.  Many a young man had set out to win her heart, but none had ever succeeded.  She had a method of determining when a potential suitor's interest was in her position rather than in her person; she had no patience at all for such artifice.  Sadly, experience had left her somewhat cynical, and it had been more than two seasons since the last time someone had sought her out for romance.

Her method of determining the honesty of a person's desires was a closely guarded secret; in her private gardens at the castle she had a Firebird of Paradise.  This mystical creature was the last remnant of the province's magical past - a legacy left to the royal family from an ancestor blessed with foresight.  The bird answered only to the royal family, and granted them insight into the truth regarding any matters they brought to its attention.

The last of its kind in the world, she sat on a clutch of eggs she had laid eight hundred forty two seasons before.  The normal gestation period for a Firebird of Paradise was a thousand seasons, and legend had it that whoever ruled the province at the time of the hatching would be especially blessed.  That was not the only blessing the Firebird of Paradise held.

Nestled among the green-hued eggs was a Portent Orb.

~*~

"These rocks are fine to look at, but they don't do the horse's hooves any favors," Zackary complained as they stopped once again to tend to a limping animal.  This time it was Jason's mount that had a painful stone caught in its shoe.

"Perhaps once we are over this hill we would be well advised to keep to the roads," Will suggested mildly.  They'd been traveling cross-country in the hope of saving some time, only to find the frequent problems with their horses made progress even slower.

"Yeah, I guess this wasn't the best plan I've ever had," Jason sighed, lowering the hoof he'd been working on and patting his horse's shoulder comfortingly. 

"It was a good idea," Trini put in, giving their leader a warm look.

"Maybe, but that doesn't get us to Southwest Rose Quartz any sooner," the prince declared, remounting and heading onward.

It was late afternoon before they crossed the road again, and in less than an hour they had to stop for the night.  Supplies were running low, so their dinner consisted of a simple stew made of the various odds and ends they still had.  At least the weather was cooperating with them, and the mild night temperature required only a single blanket each.  

Kymberly shifted uncomfortably in her makeshift bed, finally pushing aside the blanket impatiently and standing up.  Her companions were all sound asleep, so the young princess quietly made her way to a low boulder still in sight of the camp.  Climbing on top, she folded her legs beneath her and contemplated the clear night sky decorated with countless stars.  

Absently her hand rose to feel along the silky smooth metal that was daily coming closer to ending her life.  She thought of her father, and her heart clenched at the realization of how hard her death would hit him.  Since early childhood there had been just the two of them, and while he was the king to the people, to Kymberly he was simply her much-beloved father.  He'd always taken the time to make himself available to her, to be an active part in her life.  Even as a toddler her small hurts and joys had been his hurts and joys; and it was he who taught her right from wrong and disciplined her on those rare occasions she went astray.

She knew her life had been sheltered - danger was something she'd read about, not experienced. Even that fateful morning when she'd snuck out of their castle, she hadn't been in search of danger, or even excitement.  She'd just wanted to be 'normal', if only for a few hours.  To walk amongst the people as one of them, not as their future queen.  She'd even justified it to herself, claiming it would make her a more effective ruler if she knew what life was like for the lower castes.  

Then Skullavich had grabbed her and things could never be the same again.

Her gaze turned to the five mounds of bedding arranged around the fire, and a glaze of tears turned her vision misty.  She had wanted to mingle with 'normal' people - well, she sure got her wish.  Granted, Jason was a prince, but the others were all lower castes than she was.  By the antiquated rules they all lived by, only Trini would be a suitable friend for Kym once they completed their quest.  Tomas and Zackary could possibly be acquaintances - of the most casual sort, of course.  But Will... There was no way she would ever be able to acknowledge knowing someone of Will's station in life.  And the thought galled her.  Almost as much as the realization that, no matter how deeply she found herself falling in love with Tomas, a romance between a princess and a General Caste member would never be permitted.

Unless...  A slow smile spread across Kymberly's face as she realized that there were indeed options open to her.

Effectively distracted from her thoughts of death, and buoyed by the plan fermenting in her mind, she yawned hugely, suddenly aware of how sleepy she still was.  The young royal carefully climbed down from her perch and made her stealthy way back to bed, more determined than ever to succeed in this quest.  She had far too much to lose.

~*~

Southwest Rose Quartz was busy with mid-day activity when the six travelers entered the town limits.  Tying their weary horses to convenient hitching posts in the town square, they stood together to plan their strategy.  

"All I remember is that the Orb is supposed to be in this town, not specifically where within it," Trini reported with a frown.  "I suppose we should split up and see if we can get an idea of where it might be."

Her suggestion was met with approval, and the six teens separated after agreeing to regroup back there in two hours.

~*~

Tomas was growing frustrated, as his queries met with nothing more helpful than a blank stare.  It was his nature to be straightforward in his questions, rather than approaching the subject by a more circuitous route, and that alone led to some people being intimidated by the young man.  He was unaware that he had picked up a shadow until a heavy hand landed on his shoulder as he watched a young man scurry away after declining to answer Tomas's question.

The irritated young man whirled around to find himself face to face with an older man dressed in a uniform emblazoned with what appeared to be a royal crest.  The guardsman glared sternly at the younger man.

"What do you think you're doing, questioning people like that?" he demanded.  "We have laws against harassing the citizens."

"I'm not 'harassing' the citizens, I'm simply trying to get some information," Tomas replied evenly, even though anger still sparked in his dark eyes.  A glance around had shown that more guards had materialized around his general vicinity.

"Judging by peoples' reactions, they don't care for the questions," the guard countered.  

"That's not my problem.  It's important that I find what I seek, a matter of life and death, even.  If I startled a few people in the process, that's just too bad."  

"Matter of life and death, huh?  What would you be needing to know that is a matter of life and death?"

"I'm looking for the Portent Orb that is rumored to be in this town," Tomas declared boldly.

The reaction of the guard was not exactly what he'd hoped for; the man drew his weapon as he signaled for his fellow guardsmen to back him up and prevent Tomas's escape.

"That is a very dangerous question to be asking," the older man ground out as another guard bound Tomas's hands.  "The Queen will determine exactly _how_ dangerous it was.  Bring him!"

Tomas looked around anxiously, hoping to see one of his companions, but the town was large and there was no sign of any potential help.  Resigned to his fate, he marched along quietly enough, though he kept a diligent lookout for any possibility of escape.  He was led directly to the elegant castle that rested beyond a thick stand of trees, which provided a measure of privacy while not seeming as isolating as a wall would be. 

His captors took him directly to a large room dominated by a large table surrounded by high-backed chairs.  At the far end of the room stood a white-draped throne, located between two high arched windows.  The guardsmen suddenly straightened to attention, bowing their heads as a young woman entered from a side door.  The two men flanking Tomas pushed him to a kneeling position.

"Why has this man been brought before me?" Queen Katherine asked, looking at the kneeling young man curiously.

"Your Highness, he was found questioning people about a Portent Orb," the head guardsman replied.  "It has been a standing order to the legion that anyone found asking such questions be brought before the ruler."

"I am aware of the regulations," Katherine replied dryly.  She turned her attention to Tomas.  "Who are you and why do you seek the Orb?"

The young hero stood, meeting the queen's eyes boldly, trying to get a feeling for her.  He appreciated her forthright approach, and something in those sapphire eyes indicated she would not stand for anything but the full truth.  Hoping he was reading her right, he made his decision.

"My name is Tomas.  You have perhaps heard that King Caplyn's daughter was kidnapped?" he asked.  At her nod he continued.  "The magician who kidnapped her, Skullovich, placed the Collar of Garrotidus around her neck.  The only way to free her is by using the Key of Intregrity, which is in a monolith near Seraph Mountain.  And, the only way to get the key is to have the six Portent Orbs.  We ... my companions and I ... have been seeking out the Orbs, in order to save Princess Kymberly's life.  We are rapidly running out of time, or I might have been subtler in my queries.  _Is_ there a Portent Orb within this city or nearby?" he asked at last, daring greatly in his fear for Kym.

"You expect me to simply believe your tale?  I am hardly that gullible.  What proof do you offer?" 

"In an hour I am to meet my companions back at the town square where we left our horses.  Princess Kymberly is traveling with us."

"The town square near The Cloak and Tiger Inn?" the head guardsman asked.

"Yes."

"Very well, Tomas.  These guards shall go to the square and bring your companions to join us.  If all is as you have told, I will see what I can do to assist you, as a courtesy from one royal family to another.  If I find you have lied to me, you will spend the next six months in hard labor as a lesson not to lie to a queen.  Is that understood?" she asked icily.

"Understood, Your Highness.  I am not lying.  Please, tell them Tomas said it was all right," he instructed the head guardsman.  "You're looking for Jason, son of King Olscott, and four others."

"Jason is with you as well?  Hmmm ... you choose your traveling companions well.  You will remain here with a guard until your companions are found," Katherine decreed before sweeping from the room.

Slightly over an hour later Tomas was roused from his contemplation of the floor tiles by the sound of numerous footsteps approaching.  Looking up anxiously, he was relieved to see Jason, Zackary, Trini, and - especially - Kymberly approaching, surrounded by the legion of guards.  Will was nowhere to be seen.

"Tomas, what is going on?" Jason demanded as soon as he was close enough.

The taller teen sighed slightly, a rueful smile quirking the corners of his mouth as he met Jason's expected confrontation head on.  

"I got caught asking about the Orb and brought before the queen. Seems there's some sort of law against mentioning it.  Anyway, I decided to tell her the truth about our quest; it seemed to be the most logical thing to do under the circumstances.  I hardly think she's on a par with the Black Knight.  You guys are the proof of my story," Tomas explained.

"And if you misjudged, we could all end up in the dungeon," Jason ground out.

"Fortunately for you, he didn't misjudge," a softly accented voice interjected from the side as the young queen entered the room.

"Prince Jason, I assume.  You match the pictures that have been published, though they don't quite do you justice.  Your reputation precedes you," Katherine commented, reaching out to shake the prince's hand.  "And Princess Kymberly, I don't know if you remember, but I met you about ten years ago, when your father visited my parents."

"I do indeed remember.  You gave me a porcelain figure of a milkmaid, which I still have in my chambers," Kymberly replied with a warm smile.  "You were very kind to a small child."

Katherine returned the smile, remembering the vivacious youngster who'd shadowed her for three days all those years ago.  She turned to the other two.  "And you are?"

"Trini, niece of King Hauward."  The warrior priestess figured it would be sensible to mention her own royal connections in this particular situation.

"Zackary."

Katherine nodded genially at their introductions, then turned to Tomas.  "You said you have five companions."

Before Tomas could comment, the head guardsman spoke up, disdain clear in his voice.

"They are traveling with an Outcaste.  We are holding him at the Guard Tower, pending your orders," the man reported.

"An Outcaste?" Katherine demanded, turning a puzzled look at Tomas and his friends.  "You let an Outcaste join you?"

"He's my friend," Jason declared firmly, daring the queen to contradict him.

"He's a friend to _all_ of us," Kymberly interjected, lifting her chin in an unconsciously defiant manner.

"I see," the queen murmured, though it was obvious to them all that she _didn't_ see at all.  She seemed to consider the situation, then dismissed it from her mind.

"He will stay where he is for now," she decided with a gesture to the guards.  "Be sure he is given water, and not mistreated.  You may go."

As the guards filed out, Queen Katherine gestured to a corner of the large table, indicating they should be seated.  A tray of assorted breads, meats and cheeses had been placed on the table, along with a few decanters of wine and ale.  

"Please, help yourselves to some refreshments, while we discuss your problem," the queen invited.

As they settled in with their plates full of the savory repast, Katherine turned toward Kym, who was seated to her left.  "So, that is the Collar of Garrotidus?  Amazingly beautiful for something so deadly."

"Its beauty is what enticed me to place it around my neck myself," the young princess commented mournfully, her eyes firmly on her plate of food.  "I was so easily fooled."

Tomas reached out a comforting hand, laying it gently on Kymberly's forearm.  "You had no way of knowing the danger," he noted soothingly.  "This is not your fault."

"Indeed.  I checked with my advisors while I was awaiting your arrival.  Seems the Collar has been used before, and in fact will work only if the wearer is tricked into placing it on himself."  

"Did your advisors confirm how to remove the Collar?" Jason wanted to know.

"Yes.  The Key of Integrity, hidden near Seraph Mountain, needs the Orbs.  Yes, they confirmed what Tomas had told me," Queen Katherine answered shortly.

"So, will you - can you - help us?" Tomas's hold on Kymberly's arm tightened as renewed hope surged through him.

The young royal looked around at the others, her gaze lingering longest on Kymberly.  What must it be like, to feel your death approaching every day?  And what comfort it had to be that four ... five ... others were willing to risk all to foil that death.  She couldn't help but wonder if there were five people in all her kingdom who would risk this much to save her.  The answer to that question was something she didn't want to examine too closely.  Almost physically wrenching herself from her thoughts, she forced herself to answer Tomas.

"I know where the Orb is, but I'm not sure how you can retrieve it."  She held up her hand in a futile attempt to squelch their burgeoning optimism.  "It is amongst the eggs of the Firebird of Paradise, and she guards it just as jealously as she does the eggs.  You cannot harm the Firebird, nor even a single egg, I cannot allow it.  She is my family's legacy, and we are sworn to protect her; besides, I'm not even certain she can be killed."

"She can, but to do so would be tragic," Trini interjected, looking serene as always.  "I didn't even know such creatures still existed.  Your family is indeed blessed."

"Yes, we are.  There is one other thing I must insist on before we take this any further; you cannot tell _anyone_ of what you see or where you see it.  She has remained here in secrecy for generations, and to keep her safe she must remain our secret; at least until her eggs hatch.  Can you agree to this?"  

"You have our word, we will tell no one," Jason replied, amongst soft murmurs of agreement from the others.

At this Katherine rose gracefully to her feet, indicating the others should follow.  "I'll take you to her nest."

The Firebird of Paradise was sleeping when they soundlessly approached her nest, so they had a chance to study the situation thoroughly.  The bird roughly resembled a swan; if a swan were to grow to the size of a draft horse, that is.  Her multihued plumage was tipped with gold, so she shone even in the imperfect light of the garden.  The feathers were mingled shades of green, gold, rust and deep blue, with no discernible pattern, except for on her head, where it was pure gold. The nest was deep, made from assorted sticks, dried-out vegetation and long-since dried mud.   With her sleeping on top, they could not see the eggs or the Orb.

"What do you think, Trini?  Any ideas as to how to proceed?" Jason asked as Zackary and Tomas continued to circle the nest.

"I'm sorry, but I've never heard anything specific, just rumors of her existence," the warrior priestess said regretfully.  "What would you suggest, Your Highness?  Could you simply request she give you the Orb?" she asked, turning to Queen Katherine.

"That wouldn't work.  I can tell her of problems or decisions I am facing, and I get a 'feeling' from her that helps me make decisions, but we don't communicate in the more traditional sense.  Besides, my advisors told me the legend of the Portent Orbs, and simply asking for one would not work.  According to the legends, they must be earned," she explained.

"Earned?" Zackary interjected with a note of doubt.  "Somehow I just can't see the Black Knight 'earning' his Orb."

"He might not have," Katherine countered.  "I wasn't clear enough; you can possess them without earning them, but their power will never be available in that case.  In order for them to be of any use, they must be earned by acts of courage, sacrifice, talent, cunning, skill, or the like.  So, if I were to ask - and receive - the Orb from her, you would have it, but it would be of no use to you in obtaining the Key.  I'm sorry, but that is how it must be."  Katherine looked sincerely regretful as she told them this.

"Looking back at how we've gotten them so far, I can see how this has worked," Tomas concurred.  "So, now we need to figure out how to do this."

"Remember, you cannot harm her," Katherine warned.

"We won't, you have our guarantee on that."

"Then, I shall leave you to your own devices," the queen decided.  "In the interest of my future relationship with her, I think it best I not be here while you get the Orb.  I'd hate for her to believe I'd betrayed her."  With that she turned and departed, leaving the other five to contemplate what they'd learned.

"Trini, what else do you know of the Firebird of Paradise?  What danger does she present?" Jason asked as they stood in a tight group to the side of the nest.

"According to the legends I'd read, she can 'breathe' fire, her feathers are razor sharp, as are her talons and her beak.  She can disembowel a person with one swipe of either wing or foot.  Legend has it she could bite off a man's arm or leg, and if she were to grab them with her beak in mid-body it would be fatal.  She is impervious to traditional weapons aimed at her body; the only area of vulnerability is the soft area in her lower beak.  For all that, she is not aggressive; she will only defend herself and her young.  She may or may not be vulnerable to potions, that was never very clear."

"Well, since we don't want to kill her, we need to trick her.  Perhaps a couple of us could try to distract her, draw her from the nest, while the others grab the Orb?" Tomas suggested.

"It's worth a try.  At any rate, we need to do it soon, she's waking up," Jason concurred, watching as the magnificent beast stirred.  "Trini and I will do the distracting, the rest of you see if you can get the Orb."

With a nod of agreement, Tomas led Zackary and Kymberly into a convenient hiding spot among the lush foliage while Trini and Jason approached the waking bird.

"Any ideas of how to distract her?" Jason wanted to know.

"If she's like other birds, she won't like anyone taking even a small piece of her nest.  So..."

"So we grab a piece and see if she'll follow us.  Not very complicated, but it should work.  We just need to be sure to stay out of her range," Jason concluded.

Jason stepped closer to the nest, moving in as non-aggressive a manner as he could, until he was close enough to grab a good-sized piece of wood and wrench it free of the nest.  Whirling he waved the stick at the Firebird, even as he raced away with Trini.  With a cry of anger, the bird lunged from her nest and after the two teens, moving with unexpected speed.  Realizing they were in mortal danger way too quickly, Jason dropped the stick with a shouted warning, hoping Tomas and the others had not gotten too close to the nest to retreat safely.  This sort of plan was never going to work - by the Gods, but she could move!

Jason and Trini stopped when they heard the Firebird grab up the abandoned stick, and they turned to check on the others' safety.  Zackary and Kymberly were nowhere to be seen, but Tomas was frantically scrambling from the edge of the nest, desperately trying to free his foot from where it was stuck in the lattice-like surface.  Unable to do anything but watch in horror, they saw the enraged bird lash out a deadly wing, just as Tomas's foot came free.  His tumble down the outer edge of the nest saved his life, even as the tip of the wing sliced deeply into his upper left arm.  They heard Kym's scream as Tomas scrambled away to safety and the Firebird settled back on her eggs with a disgruntled sort of cooing noise.

Staying clear of the nest, Jason and Trini worked their way to where their friends waited with Zackary trying to staunch the flow of blood from Tomas's arm.  

"He's going to need a healer," the jester reported.  "This cut goes nearly to the bone."

"Just tie it up, I'll be fine," Tomas ground out, looking toward the nesting bird with a determined frown.  "We don't have time for this; we need to get that Orb!"

"You bleeding to death will not exactly help," Kymberly pointed out sensibly.  

"It'll be fine for now, Kym.  I'll have it looked at later."

Sighing at the stubbornness of men in general, and this one man in particular, the young princess turned her attention toward the Firebird of Paradise.  The nesting mother had settled back down and the soft sound of her cooing and warbling to her offspring drifted through the garden.

Kymberly listened intently, losing herself in the gentle tones the massive bird created, letting the music speak to her.  Tears filled her eyes and she turned to the others to find them watching her with expressions of worried puzzlement.

"What's wrong?" Trini asked.

"Can't you hear that?" Kymberly wondered, looking puzzled herself.  

"What?  The bird?  Well, yeah ... but what of it?" Zackary replied.

"You can't hear her pain?" As she recognized their continued confusion, she tried to elaborate.  "She's so lonely ... she knows she's the last.  The last of her kind, at least until her children arrive.  She's been alone for centuries, never moving, never leaving ... bound by duty and love to this one small place.  Her whole existence is this patch of garden and her eggs, and every day is exactly the same as the one before.  Imagine spending thousands upon thousands of days with no one to talk to, no one to understand, no one to hear you.  Nothing but duty and a distant hope to sustain you."  Kymberly seemed to almost slip into a trance-like state, and she wrapped her arms protectively around herself, swaying to and fro.

"Kym?" Tomas barely whispered.  "Are you okay?"

The young woman didn't answer, but instead turned and walked back toward the nesting Firebird of Paradise.  Once in front of the mystical beast, Kymberly started singing, causing the bird to pause in surprise, watching the petite figure in front of her intently.

She didn't sing with words, but with sounds only; for all that it had a hauntingly sad sound to it.  The Firebird listened quietly for a time, then began to sing with Kymberly, and the music began to sound a little less sorrowful.  The human and avian voices mingled and merged, a verbal dance of astonishing intricacy; now soft and solemn - then lilting and joyful.  

Gradually the bird's voiced trailed off, and Kymberly sang alone again, with both her human and non-human audience listening intently.  Even Jason, who had no musical ability at all, understood that Kym was telling a story with music alone.  But this was more than music, more than a story; this was a glimpse into a young woman's heart and soul.  Her hopes and fears were laid bare in those clear tones; her courage and kindness shone in the pure notes.  If Tomas hadn't already fallen in love with her before, he would have then.  As for Jason, the feelings he'd been denying surged anew, bringing fresh pain and regret.

The Firebird listened intently, and when at last the princess's voice faded with a soft sob, the golden head lowered to the young woman's level and the deadly beak brushed a tear-stained cheek with a gentle caress.

Kymberly's small hand reached up to stroke the polished side of that beak, while her soft brown eyes locked with the bird's obsidian orbs.  For a long moment no one dared breathe, then the Firebird of Paradise rose to her feet and reached down to pluck the Portent Orb from the nest.  She extended it toward Kymberly, who held out her trembling hands to receive the gift, which promptly glowed a soft pink in her grasp.

"Thank you," she breathed out, tears again filling her eyes.

The Firebird cooed an answer to the young woman, then settled back on her nest, seeming to dismiss all the humans from her attention.  They took the hint and headed toward the exit without a word.

Once safely back inside the castle, the others turned to Kymberly with undisguised admiration.  

"How did you know what to do?" Zackary asked in awe.

"I don't know, it's not something I can explain.  It's just ... the music.  It spoke to me, I understood what she needed, what she wanted.  And it's weird, but I was kind of lost in the music, at least while I was talking to her.  I knew what she was saying, and I knew how to speak to her.  Music IS a language, you know.  It doesn't need words to work, just understanding.  One of my music teachers said it was the language of the heart; I guess she was right.  Anyway, it worked."

"I'm glad."  Katherine had joined them in the great hall of the palace.  

"Thank you for giving us the chance," Kymberly said, reaching out to impetuously hug the queen.  "You didn't have to."

"If I wanted to be able to live with myself, then, yes, I DID have to," she replied.  "May I see the Orb?"

"Of course."  Kymberly laid the sphere in the waiting hands.

"It's beautiful.  I knew it was there, but I'd never seen it," Katherine explained, handing it back reluctantly.  Her gaze wandered over the others, and she gasped when she saw Tomas's blood-soaked shirt.

"You're injured!  Come, I'll take you to the healer," she declared, indicating they were to follow her.  

The royal healer was a wizened old woman with gnarled, gentle hands, who bade Tomas sit on her low table while she gathered the needed supplies. Leaving Tomas in her capable hands, Katherine bade the others follow her to the dining hall, where another repast was spread out.

Grateful to relax at last, they sat around one of the smaller tables that were scattered about the large hall.  Jason couldn't help but comment about something that was puzzling him.

"Your Highness, I've never before met a queen who is willing to dine with her guests as casually as you do.  You've shown us around yourself, rather than delegate it to your servants, as most royals would.  I have to say, it's surprising, but very pleasant."

"From early childhood I was groomed to be queen, since my parents knew they would not have another child.  I was cosseted and protected and kept separate from everyone else.  So, I was lonely and often bored beyond words.  When my parents died, my grief nearly killed me, and I had no friends to turn to for comfort; just servants.  I knew the rules and regulations and routines of how the kingdom was run, but not the whys and the hows.  And I wanted to know.  So, as much as possible, I do for myself; I ask questions, I seek my own answers.  My advisors have learned that I want information, not opinions, from them.  It suits my desires to tend to some things myself, and that included making the decisions regarding you and your quest.  I refuse to be a mindless figurehead, as some of my father's court obviously expected me to be," she smiled - albeit a wintry smile with a wealth of steel behind it.

"It sounds like you will be a worthy queen to your people," Kymberly declared.  "I can only hope I can do half as well, should the necessity arise."

"If it comes to that, and you need any assistance, you may always call on me," Katherine replied with a warmer look.  Just then Tomas joined them, a fresh white bandage wrapped firmly around his bicep.

"Hey, hey, looks like you're all patched up!" Zackary greeted him with a big grin.  "Will you have a new scar suitable for impressing all the ladies?"

"Well, I'll have a scar at any rate," Tomas noted dryly, bringing a plate of food over and joining the others.

"Thank you for the services of your healer, and ... well ... for all you've done for us."  Tomas took the queen's hand in his and kissed it gallantly as he stood over her chair.  "There is no way we could ever repay you."

Matching blooms of pink sprang onto the young royal's cheek at the unexpected gesture, and an unfamiliar fluttering of her heart made her slow to answer.

"You ... you're quite welcome," she stammered out at last.

Kymberly's expression darkened a little at the byplay between the two, and she pushed the empty chair next to hers out with a significant frown at Tommy.  Zackary noted her reaction and just barely managed to stifle his chuckle and hid his grin in a napkin as Tomas took the proffered seat.

Deciding a change of subject might be in order, Trini turned to their hostess.

"Would it be acceptable if I put together a plate for our friend being held at the Guard Tower?  I'm sure he may be hungry by now."

A slight frown wrinkled the royal brow at that request, but Katherine's innate kindness won out over convention.  "Of course."

Though the day was rapidly waning, Jason knew they needed to get moving, so he stood as well.  "We should be moving on, Your Highness.  Tomas was right, though, we cannot thank you enough for all you have done."

"It wasn't that much, really.  It's not like I owned the Orb, I was just a party to guarding it until its true owner arrived.  I understand you cannot delay, but please, consider that you have an open invitation to visit any time.  Any of you, or all of you.  I wish you good luck in your quest," Katherine said with dignity.  In that moment the others could see the strong woman she was well on her way to becoming; given a few seasons of experience and seasoning and she would be a force to be reckoned with.

Katherine called a guard to escort the group to the Guard Tower, where the travelers could find their horses and companion.  Less than a half hour later they were reunited with Will - who was thankfully unharmed, if quite hungry - and were on their way to the next province.

TBC


	12. Chapter 12

**_Author's Notes:_** _Hard to believe, I know, but I'm kind of back. Finally found my muse again and decided to try and finish this tale. It still has a long way to go, and I appreciate everyone's patience while I sorted out my life. And I also appreciate the more than kind comments on this little tale. Each and every one has made my life just a little bit brighter._

**An additional note: ** I had someone review that I wasn't spelling the names correctly, so here is a repeat from the first part's notes: Misspelling of a canon character's name is completely intentional – in this case it's taking artistic license. I do actually know the names and how they are spelled – I just decided to use a more exotic spelling in some cases.

**_Additional Author Note part deux:_** _This segment is a birthday present for my dear friend, Dagmar Buse. She's never given up on me, no matter how bad I am at corresponding, no matter how long between writing endeavors. She is unfailing kind and gracious, and this little bit of story was written for her. Happy Birthday!_

PART TWELVE

The teens' spirits were high as they made their way north out of South West Rose Quartz and set their sights on West Diamond. The procurement of the fourth orb had created a kind of euphoria, a renewed belief that they could indeed pull off the task to which they had set themselves. The four orbs were a welcome weight in Kymberly's saddlebags, and she quietly appreciated the fact the others let her carry them. Their solid reality was a comforting balm against the fear and dread that grew larger as the collar grew smaller.

The distance between South West Rose Quartz and West Diamond was the largest they'd yet traversed, and it was a struggle to not try to push the horses beyond their endurance. The rocky terrain of the South West province gave way to the arid, dusty terrain of the West province and the temperature rose accordingly. The small group passed no communities along their route, the harsh environment discouraging settlements. The West province was by far the most sparsely populated, the people who did live there tended to be as inhospitable as the countryside.

On the third day of travel they spotted a road sign, the first indication of civilization they'd seen yet. The simple marker indicated Diamond was a half-day's travel ahead.

"Well, good to know we're going the right way," Zackary noted, his cheerful face liberally coated with road dust. Water was too precious a commodity to waste any on non-essentials such as bathing. "As far as I'm concerned, we can't get there too soon."

"Then we should be on our way," Jason agreed, turning his horse in the direction the sign indicated. "I'm about ready to see civilization again," he admitted.

"A bath. And a bed. I don't believe I've wanted either as badly as I do just now," Kymberly added ruefully. The others nodded their agreement, with Zackary adding a suggestive sniff and frown.

"Funny, you don't smell like a princess," he smirked, he and his horse dancing nimbly away from Kym's attempted blow.

"You think you're safe, but I'll get you for that, Zack, just you wait," she threatened with a mock frown.

"Oooohhh...I'm scared now!" the irrepressible young man cried, ducking behind Trini and Will as if hiding.

"Be afraid, be very afraid," she countered in the deepest voice she could muster before breaking into helpless giggles.

The rest of the group couldn't help but chuckle along at the concept of being terrorized by their smallest companion, and the miles passed pleasantly and quickly, with mid day finding them in the town square of West Diamond.

"So, first we get some food and cleaned up, then we start looking?" Tomas suggested as they gazed around at the multihued storefronts. The plethora of color was a stark contrast to the monochrome countryside they'd been traveling through the past couple of days.

"Sounds like a plan to me," Jason concurred, indicating an Inn that looked inviting.

"I'll head on back to that lake just outside the town, try to find a secluded place to set up camp," Will put in, turning his mount around. 'Lake' was a rather generous description of the small body of chocolate colored water that stood at the outskirts of the community.

"That's not right," Kymberly protested unthinkingly, startled when the others turned rather incredulous looks at her. Still, she met their gazes steadily, invoking an unconscious pride as she protested mildly. "Well, it's not."

"But it IS the way the world works," Will countered with equal mildness. "Thank you, though," he added with a rare smile. The others had long since noted that Will rarely smiled. He wasn't glum, exactly, just usually solemn; most likely the result of a difficult life bereft of much hope.

Kymberly didn't reply beyond a sad smile of her own, and the five friends watched Will retrace their steps back to the lake. With a nearly inaudible sigh Jason turned his attention back to the task at hand and ushered his companions toward the entrance of the Inn. His sorrow was not for Will and his situation, sad as that was, but for the hurt in his own soul as he realized the more he fell in love with Kymberly the less likely it was that he would ever stand a chance of winning her heart. One had only to see how Kym looked at Tomas to know which way the wind blew. But watching the young royal grow as a person, seeing her bravery as she daily advanced toward her pending death, he couldn't help but wish she could favor him with a reciprocal feeling.

Jason was growing adept at pushing his feelings aside, so no one guessed the effort behind his discourse with the innkeeper regarding their accommodations for the night. Soon the weary travelers were satisfying their hunger with a savory stew complimented by whole grain bread. Conversation took a backseat to satisfying their prodigious hunger, none of them having realized just how tired they were of the simple fare they could prepare on the road.

"Oh, I think I'm going to bust," Kymberly complained with a groan when she sat back from her second bowl of stew. "I can't believe I ate that much."

"It was a nice change, to be sure," Trini concurred, her own second bowl nearly empty. She smiled at the three young men, all of whom were on their third helpings. In addition they'd eaten a full two loaves of the fresh bread, liberally spread with sweet, fresh churned butter.

Zackary sat back with a satisfied belch, his hands patting his discernibly distended midsection. He ignored the girls' expressions of disapproval and yawned hugely, his dark eyes glassy with fatigue and good food. "Do we have time enough to rest a bit before we start our search?" he asked the others, his expression hopeful.

"We can't afford to waste much time," Tomas stated, his worried glance at Kymberly not missed by the others. There were times they almost forgot how high the stakes of this quest were. Zackary flushed dully beneath his dark complexion, but Kym spoke up firmly in the suddenly uncomfortable quiet.

"We all need to clean up, it won't do to be scaring the people we need information from," she noted. But her reasonable words were belied by her unconscious fingering of the piece of jewelry that would end her life if they failed.

As if overhearing their conversation the innkeeper - a heavyset, dour woman who was nearly as colorless as the surrounding desert - approached their table to announce their rooms and baths were ready for them. That settled the issue effectively. The lure of a warm bath to wash away the grit of three days of travel was just too great, with minimal discussion they decided to clean up, then meet back in the common area by early evening.

Will was waiting patiently at the mouth of the alley to the side of the inn where his friends were staying. Jason greeted his long-time companion with a smile and appraising look. It was obvious Will had found a place to take a bath in the lake, as well as make a stab at laundering his clothing. His fair hair was still slightly damp, as was his simple outfit.

"Did you have something to eat?" the prince asked by way of greeting.

Will's look was typically mild, his soft voice betraying no irritation. "Yes, I had plenty. What's our plan?" he queried, obviously changing the subject and focus of their conversation.

"The usual, start asking questions as discreetly as possible. Get some clue as to whether or not the orb is here," Jason decided. "We might as well pick up some supplies as well."

"I'll take care of that," Trini offered, knowing she was the best choice for that chore. Her caste status gave her a distinct advantage in dealing with merchants, and few could stand strong against her serene surety. It hadn't taken them long to find out that the folks in West Diamond tended to be as harsh and unpleasant as their country could be. The town was a place of contrasts: the brightly colored buildings were warm and appealing, while the people were cold and repellent. Finding someone who would be willing to give them information would be difficult at best.

"I'll give her a hand," Tomas offered, surprisingly. The young hero was a man of action, and buying supplies didn't seem to be something that would appeal to him.

Jason nodded his agreement, and then spoke thoughtfully. "We should work in pairs, anyway. Try to avoid what happened in South West Rose Quartz. That could have been a disaster if Queen Katherine hadn't been the kind of ruler she is."

"If that's the way you want to work it, then Will should be with me. We can ... ahem ... talk to the ... you know ... non-royal folks more easily," Zack suggested tentatively. He didn't like the stern look Jason shot him, nor was Tomas's expression of displeasure lost on him. But his point was valid, regardless of how the others felt about it and Jason and Tomas were too honest to debate it.

"Agreed. But you two be careful."

Trini and Tomas found the general store with no problem, the ornate sign was visible from a full two blocks away. The interior was clean and well organized, the shopkeeper small and wiry. Unlike most of the populace of the town, this fellow seemed friendly, greeting the pair with a smile and arms flung wide.

"Welcome! Welcome! How may I be of service?"

Something about the man made Trini flash back to the lessons learned in the maze when she earned the first Portent Orb - to use her instincts and look past the exterior. He looked friendly, he sounded friendly, but the warrior priestess got a feel of snakes writhing beneath the friendly façade. She was immediately on the alert for whatever danger this seemingly innocent shopkeeper posed.

"We need some supplies for our journey," Tomas said stiffly, causing Trini to look at him with renewed respect. It was obvious the young man also sensed the disquieting aura of the merchant.

"You have come to the right place! I have everything a traveler would need on his journey. Come, come, I can satisfy your every need," he gushed expansively.

Sharing a significant look with Tomas, Trini followed the effusive fellow into the shop, pointing out the necessities as they went. He gathered them up as they went, trying his best to convince them to add to their order. Tomas purposely waited until he offered some goods before agreeing to their purchase, playing into the man's charade.

"What brings a pair such as you to our fair town?" the business owner asked, putting a packet of beans into their bundle.

"We are on a sacred quest," Tomas replied, pasting a look of modest sincerity on his face.

"A quest! You don't say! Well, that is exciting, indeed," the little man exclaimed, eyes rounded with amazement. "I should have guessed. You have the look," he added with an appraising glance.

"We are seeking a mystical talisman we'd heard could be found here," Tomas continued, managing to make it sound as if he were the one in charge. Trini obviously realized where he was going with his charade, and played along accordingly. "A respectable businessman such as yourself wouldn't know about that, though, would you?"

"Mayhaps I do, mayhaps I don't. Could be I need a bit of encouragement to prod my memory," he countered, rubbing his balding pate. "I'm not as young as I used to be."

"Naturally. Well, what's to total we owe for the supplies?" Tomas asked, distracting the shopkeeper as he felt Trini slip their money pouch into his pocket.

The old fellow ran a quick mental tally, quoting an inflated figure. Tomas leaned over the counter, fixing the man with a stern look. "Does that include the information we need? Or is it your idea of good business to swindle your customers?"

"You wound me, young sir. Of course, like any good merchant, I included that item you needed but were too conservative to insist upon. So, tell me, do we have a deal?" the old fellow wheedled.

Inwardly praying the money pouch would have enough in it - Tomas had never inquired as to how much they had - the young hero nodded curtly.

"Deal." Opening their purse he counted out the necessary funds, pleased to find he'd not depleted their funds completely. Turning to the merchant, he counted out the payment, stopping at the halfway point.

"It's time for me to 'see' just what I'm paying for, wouldn't you say?" he stated firmly.

"Very well. What you seek - it is easily enough found at the old wizard's sanctuary at the northern outskirts, just look for the fence with the crystals on top," he informed them, holding out his hand for the remainder of his funds.

"And the catch?" Tomas countered, holding fast to the only incentive he had to keep the old man talking.

"No catch. None that a true hero can't overcome," came the reply.

Looking over at Trini, Tomas caught her nearly imperceptible nod, and paid the rest of the bill while she hefted the bundle of supplies. Turning their back on the old shopkeeper they made a hasty retreat.

Outside Tomas relieved Trini of half her burden, somewhat surprised at the weight of it. He was reminded that his slender companion was a very strong person - physically as well as mentally.

"What do you think?" Tomas asked as soon as they were a fair distance from the store.

"He's not trustworthy," she noted in her quiet way. "But I think he told us the truth. At least part of it."

"I agree," Tomas replied. "We need to let the others know what we learned."

"We can put these supplies in our rooms at the inn while we wait for them," Trini suggested, shifting her bundle of provisions as she strode along.

While Trini and Tomas were dealing with the shopkeeper, Kymberly and Jason were wandering around the town, trying to get a feel for the community. The two young royals were mostly silent, looking through doorways into a variety of small specialty shops, eating places or, in one case, what appeared to be an opium den, the listless folks lying about on blanket strewn beds dead-eyed and silent.

Kymberly stopped at a street vendor's stall, her eye caught by the display of silver and gold chains and bands. Her small hand stole up to touch the band around her own fragile neck, noting with silent panic that it seemed even closer than it had been just a couple of hours before. The dark eyed woman running the stall noticed the motion and the sight of the golden band caused her expression to brighten.

"A trade, madam? One of my finest chains for that trinket you currently wear? It is surely not fine enough for one such as you," she offered, her smile displaying uneven, discolored teeth.

For a moment brief hope sparked in the soft doe eyes of the princess, but it flared out as quickly as it appeared. Holding up a hand as if to ward off the harmless vendor, Kymberly shook her head and turned quickly away, nearly stumbling in front of an oncoming carriage.

"Careful!" Jason gasped out, snatching her out of the path of the oncoming conveyance.

"Thank you," Kym murmured, keeping her gaze firmly on the ground near her feet. Even so Jason could see she was unusually pale, and the hand she held to her breast was visibly shaking.

The urge to take her into his arms and promise that she'd be okay was nearly impossible to resist, but Jason recognized the danger of giving in to his urges. However he did place a comforting hand on her shoulder and speak in his warmest tones.

"We'll find them all, Kymberly. I swear, somehow, we will get you out of that thing."

"You can't know that, Jason. I appreciate the thought, but I have to face reality. We may not make it in time," she noted, her tone distracted. She turned her gaze to a distant point that only she could see while wrestling with the thoughts she could no longer keep at bay. Eventually she turned her attention back to her companion.

"Jason, I have a favor to ask," she said at last.

"Anything I can do for you, I'll be happy to," he assured her.

She opened the small pouch she wore around her waist, pulling out a tightly folded piece of paper from within. "If...if we _don't_ succeed...if Skullavich wins...will you make sure this gets to my father?" she requested, a single tear falling on the precious rectangle of paper she held.

Jason swallowed the lump that suddenly appeared in his throat, and his deep voice was noticeably huskier as he replied. "I don't believe it will come to that, but if it makes you feel better, then, yes. I'll deliver it to your father's hands myself," he promised, feeling the weight of the vow on his heart.

"Thank you."

The slight tremor in those softly spoken words was more than Jason could take; ignoring social convention he pulled Kymberly in for a hug that he needed nearly as badly as she did. The soft chestnut hair tickled his chin as she laid her head against his shoulder, soaking up the comfort he'd so longed to give. His warm hand rubbed up and down her slender back as the various pedestrians swerved around the couple, most not even sparing a glance at the royals as they hurried about their business.

Eventually Kym pulled back, wiping at her reddened eyes with a touchingly vulnerable embarrassment. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to do that," she started, startled when Jason held up a staying hand.

"Don't. You're the bravest person I've ever met," he stated, wordlessly shushing her attempted denial. "But even the bravest person has their moments of fear or doubt."

"I suppose you're right, but still, you didn't need to see that," she demurred, visibly pulling herself together. "It looks like the shops are mostly closing up. It must be time to go meet the others," she noted.

Jason held out a arm as if to usher his petite companion on her way, to which she replied with a curtsey and a slightly wobbly giggle, as they headed back to the Inn.

Tomas and Trini exited the inn and looked around the nearly deserted streets. The sun sat low on the horizon, and from the nearby homes the smell of assorted evening meals cooking wafted on the mild breeze. Seeing no sign of their companions the pair drifted over to a small fountain sitting in the intersection and took a seat on the low rim.

"Guess there's no way we can go to that sanctuary he told us about tonight, is there?" Tomas sighed, shifting uncomfortably on the narrow seat.

"I believe it would best to wait until we are rested and have daylight, yes," Trini replied.

"Besides, I hear nighttime is not the best time to go there," another voice broke in. Trini and Tomas turned to find Zack and Will standing behind them, a grin splitting Zack's face.

"You heard about a wizard's sanctuary?" Tomas demanded, standing to face the new arrivals. He wondered if they'd squandered their money paying for common information.

"Oh, yeah. Quite a reputation it has, too," the jester replied, sauntering around to join the other two.

"What did you find out?" Trini queried more quietly.

"Well, for starters, that it's haaaauuuuunnted." He drew out the last word to a spooky effect, raising his hands and wiggling his fingers to simulate a ghost.

Trini couldn't help but smile fondly; Zack's humor and spirit were impossible to resist. Rarely had she met someone who had such a positive view on life.

"Did you learn anything useful?" Tomas countered, not nearly as amused as Trini.

"According to the people we spoke with, wizards have been disappearing into the sanctuary for years now, never to be heard from again. One man, Rok, who claimed to be the son of a wizard, said there was a curse on the sanctuary. One that captured wizards," Will reported in his quiet way.

"Not just wizards, though," Zack added. "Heroes, healers, warriors, lots of folks. They go in but don't come out. Now parents here even use the threat of the sanctuary to scare their children into behaving." The dark skinned young man assumed the pose of an angry parent, wagging a finger at an imaginary child, his voice climbing to mimic that of a mother. "You eat all your vegetables or I'll send you to the sanctuary!" he screeched.

"You'll make someone a heck of a mother someday," Jason snickered as he and Kymberly joined their friends. Tomas turned to the princess with a satisfied air.

"We may have found out where the orb is," he informed her, pleased to see a smile chase away the melancholy expression she'd been wearing.

"What makes you say that?" Jason asked with a touch of hope.

So the others filled the royals in on what they'd learned, each adding their own observations. They were trying to formulate a logical and useful hypothesis as to the situation with the sanctuary when a small figure in a dark cloak approached.

"You are right, but you are also all wrong," the distinctly feminine voice informed them.

All six whirled to face the newcomer, Jason and Tomas automatically taking up positions defensively in front of the others.

"What do you mean?" Jason asked reasonably enough. Though the dark clad figure stopped her approach the two heroes held their position.

"For what reason do you ponder the mysteries of the sanctuary?" she countered standing unnaturally still in the waning light.

"Are we going to simply stand around trading questions?" Jason wondered with an arch look.

"Perhaps."

Jason ducked his head to hide his frustration; this was not the best time to have to deal with cryptic strangers. "Then I guess we will continue or discussion in private," he announced, indicating his companions should go with him to the inn and dismissing the newcomer.

"Very well. You come seeking the Portent Orb, do you not?"

Those words stopped the six adventurers in their tracks.

"Is it there?" Kym asked, her large eyes filled with renewed hope.

"So the legends say."

"Great," Tomas mumbled. "I paid that swindler for a legend."

"A legend is not always well known," Trini soothed, hiding an amused smile.

"This legend certainly is not," the hooded figure agreed. "Some legends are bright, oft told. Loved and honored, even. The legend of the sanctuary is whispered in dark corners; a dirty secret the polite members of society pretend doesn't exist."

"Why?" Will asked.

"You've not said why you seek the Orb." The change of subject was jarring to say the least.

"Why do you need to know?" Jason was finding it increasingly difficult to keep his temper in line.

The cowl tilted sideways as the mysterious person obviously pondered the question. "It is the duty of any good citizen, any good PERSON, to protect the orbs from those who would attempt to procure them for ill use."

Jason nodded his approval of that answer, a straight one for once. "I agree. We seek the orbs to obtain the Key of Integrity and release our companion from the Collar of Garrotidus."

The shadow where the woman's face was hidden turned toward Kymberly, then two dark skinned hands reached up and pushed back the concealing material. The countenance revealed was quite young - smooth of brow and warm of eye. "Your Highness. I'd heard of what happened," she said, curtseying to the princess.

"News certainly travels fast," Tomas muttered.

"Some news does," the young woman replied. "My name is Aysha, and I'll tell you what I know."

The seven sat or stood near the fountain, all focused on Aysha, anxious to learn what they could.

"I came here to West Diamond with my mentor, a powerful witch, Rita. She had heard of the curse on the sanctuary, and, honestly, it was like a personal challenge for her to break the spell. The legend is that over three hundred seasons ago a benign wizard lived in a large estate just outside town. He was a little eccentric, so they say. For instance, he would not tell anyone his name. His willingness to grant a boon for someone was apparently dependent strictly on his mood. He did favors for the rich and powerful, the poor and pitiful. Good, bad, gentle, mean. That didn't matter, or so it seemed. He was a paradox. One notable flaw he had was an over fondness for drink. And legend has it he wasn't a nice drunk."

"So few are," Trini interjected softly.

"Indeed. Still, since he usually went months between drinking binges, the folks were happy enough to have him here. And he often had apprentices living there with him, as well as other wizards and witches visiting on a regular basis. That's when he started turning it into a sanctuary for magical folks. Pretty soon there were a dozen or so living there. Then...something happened. No one really knows what. A bad batch of mead? The wrong herbs with wine? It doesn't really matter any more, I suppose, but something changed him. He got mean; people started hearing ominous sounds from his place. Then the folks staying at the place stopped coming into town, and the weird fence with the crystals appeared around the property. People would go out there to try and discover what happened, and they'd never return. That's what happened with Rita," she concluded, a tear welling in the corner of each deep brown eye.

"I'm so sorry," Kym whispered, instinctively reaching out to hug the young woman.

"I'm okay, your highness," Aysha responded, ducking her head in embarrassment and quickly moving out of the young princess's reach.

"My name is Kymberly," Kym countered with mock sternness to hide the slight hurt from the other girl's reaction.

"Yes ma'am," the young apprentice replied. "I wish I could give you some advice as to WHY folks disappear out there, but when I went to try and find Rita, I couldn't even figure out how to get past that fence."

"What kind of fence?" Zack wondered.

"That's just it, it's so weird. The posts are the usual distance apart, and each one has a crystal on top. But the parts in between are like...like...cloudy. But solid. And swirly. You can't see in to the grounds at all - but I can tell you it felt cold. Like death. I just couldn't figure out how to get inside. Maybe if I had more training, but without Rita to help me I was lost. I will tell you this, though. The legends all indicate that the wizard had a portent orb in his possession. If that's true, he could be using its power to work the magic on the fence that keeps people out. Or people in. Whichever it is. I can't help but think that Rita is somehow trapped in there, wanting out. I just so wish I could find out for certain. But I've told you everything I know."

"Thank you for telling us all this," Jason said in his warmest tones. "Is there something we can do for you?"

"No. I'm all right. I found a place to stay here, until I have the means to go home again."

"Where is home?" Trini asked.

"South West Sapphire," she informed them, her expression unconsciously brightening while growing a bit sad as well. "It's so much prettier there."

"Let us book you passage home, please?" Kymberly asked, wanting to help this young woman.

"Thank you, but, no. It's not time for me to leave yet. I don't want to leave until I know for certain Rita will not be back," Aysha replied, smiling for the first time since they'd met. "You're very kind to offer." She pulled her cowl back up, standing with a decisive air. "In fact, I should be going now. Good luck to you all. I hope you succeed."

They silently watched the petite figure retreat into the deepening shadows of the streets, her dark cloak making it look like the shade had absorbed her. Kymberly shook her head as if to dispel the rather disquieting image.

"So, first thing tomorrow we head to the sanctuary?" she asked, standing as close to Tomas as propriety would allow.

"That's the plan," Jason agreed, ushering all of them - except Will - toward the inn, where a light dinner and warm beds awaited them.

The early morning found them gathering once again outside the inn, where Will waited agreeably by the fountain. Once their account at the inn was settled they retrieved their mounts from the nearby stable and set out toward the mysterious sanctuary. As they drew nearer the land grew noticeably more hostile; small, mean bugs made their way hither and yon. No bright birdcalls disturbed the oppressive stillness of the morning; no colorful flower broke the patina of beige sand that covered the countryside.

From out of this stark landscape the outer edge of the strange fence rose like a strange idol. As Aysha had told them, the area between posts was just short of translucent, and despite the appearance of slow movement, they were solid - _very_ solid - to the touch. Each post, which stood about seven feet tall, was topped with a asymmetrical crystal about the size of a grapefruit. Each crystal shone with it's own interior light. They followed the fence to the entrance, a thick wooden gate bound by an elaborate mechanism that consisted of a brass rendering of a tiger's face and a small platform. On the support pillar to the right was writing down the entire face, on the left one was a montage of etchings of wild animals and a short verse in a circle:

_Magic's brotherhood by power bound_

_With mystery itself surrounds_

_Forever shall we stay together_

_Until the orb should be unfettered_

"Well, that answers the question as to whether the orb is here or not, I guess," Zackary commented when they'd read the verse. "It sure sounds like a curse of some sort to me."

"I wonder who placed the curse, and why," Jason added, frowning at the tightly closed gate. He gave an experimental tug on the solid barrier and found it held very firm.

"Apparently his name was Wilton," Will provided from his place near the right pillar.

"You can read that?" Trini asked with an incredulous look. She had studied many languages and dialects and the writing was completely unfamiliar to her.

"It is not easy, the dialect is very obscure. In fact it is almost exclusively used by those who practice the magic arts," he replied.

"What does it say?" Kymberly wanted to know.

"It is a little rambling in some places. He talks about how magic ruined his life, though it lacks any details as to how that happened, exactly. Then how he planned this 'shrine to the foolishness of the magics'. The middle part changes tone, telling how only the brave and pure of heart and spirit can prevail in nature. There's one line that says 'the conqueror will have only his heart and hands as he faces the forces within'," Will read.

"Does it say how to get in?" Tomas asked a little impatiently. Every fiber of his being was screaming with the urge to hurry.

Will was quiet, obviously deciphering the information provided on the pillar. Eventually he turned toward his waiting friends, a faint frown puckering the skin between his green eyes.

"Each of us must repeat a chant while offering ups some herbs. The magic determines who can enter and who cannot."

"Do you have the herbs we need?" Jason asked.

"Yes."

"Then let's do this," the prince declared.

Will carefully opened his saddlebag, extracting a pouch that contained several other pouches. He selected two of the inner packets then turned to his companions.

"Hold out both of your hands, I'm going to put a different herb in each. One at a time we must make our offering. If the gate opens only that one person can enter. If a second person tries to force their way through the results would not be good. Trust me on this - don't even try it," Will instructed as he began doling out the needed items.

"Does it say how to get back out?" Zack queried.

"Break the spell," Will replied.

"A one way ticket, then," the jester noted with a grim smile.

Tomas turned toward the gate with determination. "What's the chant?"

"Say 'I offer up this precious flower' and drop the herb in your right hand on the shelf. Then say 'with honor I ask to see the tower' and add the one from your left hand. If your offering is accepted the gate will open enough to grant entrance," the apprentice wizard instructed.

"Here goes, then," Tomas said, approaching the gate. He did as Will had instructed, and nearly jumped in surprise when the gate opened enough to grant him entrance. He'd no more than passed through when it swung shut with a deep bang.

"That wasn't all that difficult," Jason noted, stepping up to try his luck. He did exactly as Tomas had done, but the portal remained stubbornly closed, as it did for all the others as well.

"I guess only Tomas passed whatever criteria the magics required," Will noted after failing his try. "He's on his own in there."

"Look!" Kymberly cried out, pointing at the fence. The others immediately noticed what had excited her; the formally opaque fence was now completely translucent. They could see Tomas clearly. They could also see what seemed to hold his horrified attention: dozens of skeletons littering the large courtyard where he stood.

Tomas had waited patiently for his companions to join him, shocked when no one else made it through the gate. Realizing he was on his own, he gathered his wits and looked around appraisingly. The sight of the many skeletons made it abundantly clear that this was not a safe place to be, that a mistake here could be the last one he ever made. Taking a deep breath he forced himself to relax and resist the urge to simply run toward the tall stone totem he saw at the center of the courtyard. Some instinct told him what he sought could be found there, but logic dictated that if it were that simple to reach it so many others would not have died in the attempt.

He noticed that by each prior seeker's remains there was a weapon of some sort - swords being by far the most common. But there were also staffs, maces, and, by one particularly large skeleton, a whip thick as his wrist. In his mind Will's quiet voice was heard, reading the instructions from the pillar: "have only his heart and hands". He had an epiphany: the others had violated the rules by bringing in a weapon. Tomas hastily reached down and removed the dagger he kept strapped to his leg, letting the blade fall harmlessly to the ground at his feet. Now weaponless he was ready to begin his advance.

A sound low and a few feet to his right brought back memories of the seasons spent tending a herd of sheep in the high meadows, so it was no shock to look down and spot a snake coiled beside a skull. A half dozen more asps seemed to materialize right from the hard-packed earthen surface, forming a rough semi-circle around the hero. Tomas had no fondness for the slithering creatures, but he also had no particular fear. If one moved slowly and carefully, one could get past them safely; snakes only attacked when they perceived a danger to them. Besides, he told himself, if one DID bite him, he'd still likely have enough time left alive to get the orb. Though overall he'd prefer not to be bitten.

Moving with a slow, sinuous grace that matched his opponents, Tomas eased himself toward the most likely opening between the snakes. Such was his concentration that his breathing slowed to half his usual rate, his body temperature even dropped as he focused his considerable will on becoming as one with the creatures surrounding him.

Inch by inch he made his stealthy way, barely causing a ripple in the air as he moved. No speck of dust was stirred; no minute vibration of the earth was created. To those watching it looked like Tomas had not moved at all, until seemingly by magic, he was past the danger. As silently and mysteriously as they'd appeared, the ring of asps seemed to dissolve back into the ground.

Releasing his pent up breath, Tomas turned to see what would oppose him next.

He'd barely taken three steps when a deep growl brought his attention to a dark silhouette sitting in the shadow of a large tree to his left and about halfway between him and the totem. Blue eyes glowed from the shade, then four large, dark shapes materialized from the darkness.

Wolves.

Another familiar foe. Tomas's mind clicked over the things he'd learned about wolves: they wouldn't attack unless provoked, they were very social, very loyal, traveled in packs - if you attacked one, you attacked them all. He lowered his gaze, remembering the words of one old herder he'd met in his early youth. Silas had been nearing the end of his life's journey; the old man could barely shuffle along behind his small herd of goats, but the hazel eyes that peered out from under shaggy grey brows were still lively and full of humor.

"Listen up, sonny," he'd wheezed out, thwacking Tomas's thigh with his walking stick to drive home his point. "You have a way of staring at folks like you're king of the hill. Well, take a lesson from the wolves, little man. They take that kind of stare as an invitation to fight, and a scrawny little pipsqueak such as you would be nothing more than a snack to a pack of timber wolves. Wolves and bullys, sonny. Don't make a habit of staring at either and you'll live long enough to maybe really become king of some hill." Then he'd gone off on a laughing fit that'd nearly choked him.

Funny, he'd not thought of old Silas in years. Shaking his head to bring his focus back to the here and now, Tomas decided on a slight detour angling a bit away from the wolves. Not a retreat, which could incite the wolves to chase, but a strategic alternative route, showing respect for the wolves' territory. Feigning disinterest in the lupine activity, Tomas made his unhurried way past their lair. Though eight eyes tracked his every move, the large animals moved no closer, fading back to their hideaway once Tomas had moved beyond their vicinity.

The young hero paused again, noticing that there were far fewer human remains as he got nearer his destination. Obviously most of those who had come before failed to make it past the snakes or the wolves. Still, there were a few that had made it this distance only to fail, so he felt far from safe.

Deciding a direct route at this point would be the best, he started once again toward the totem, only diverting his path when a rock or bush stood in his way. Halfway there he sensed, rather than saw, movement to his left and whirled in that direction in a ready posture. What he saw nearly took his breath away with its sheer beauty. A full-grown tiger faced him; the sleek muscular body crouched ready to spring. But not just any tiger, this one had black stripes in startling contrast to a snow-white pelt, and the eyes that stared at him were the crisp blue of an early morning horizon. Two smaller white tigers flanked it, their positions obviously that of observers of the battle to come.

Because a battle it would be. Tomas know with every fiber of his being that this was the ultimate test for the orb. The snakes and wolves were simple matters of courage, patience and cunning. If one knew what to do a conflict could be avoided, but not so with this magnificent beast. Blood would be shed, and death would be the ultimate price, as was the universal law of such things.

Nodding his acceptance of the situation to the tiger, Tomas turned squarely to face the big cat. Slowly the striped beast circled his prey, and Tomas had the distinct impression he'd been judged and found lacking.

When the attack came it was vicious as it was sudden; the tiger shot forward, lashing out with his deadly claws and sinking razor sharp fangs into Tomas's leg. The shock from the pain was nearly his undoing, and had he lost his footing and gone down the battle would have been lost before it actually began. But Tomas didn't fall, and he had enough presence of mind to reach down and pinch the cat's sensitive nose - hard. Infuriated the animal released him and leapt backwards, roaring his displeasure with the young man's tactic.

Panting, and bleeding from wounds in both legs, Tomas staggered a bit before steadying and readying for the beast's next move. The big feline started circling again before leaping toward the human's vulnerable midsection. Tomas's reaction was much quicker this time; he threw himself to the side while simultaneously lashing out at his attacker with a wicked kick that caught the cat mid-leap. Though the kick connected solidly it had little effect on the tiger except to annoy it further. He growled menacingly as he once again stalked the young man who'd dared to enter his territory.

The cat's next leaping attack was higher, and Tomas couldn't try the kicking maneuver. He did manage to evade the majority of the animal's attack, however the tiger scored a measure of revenge by managing to slash Tomas with one deadly swipe of his claws. The dark haired young man staggered again, now bleeding liberally from four parallel gashes in his upper arm. Already feeling the ill effects of his injuries, the hero knew he had little time left before he was too weak to fight.

The tiger seemed to sense Tomas's growing weakness, and wasted no time in trying to take advantage. The third leap was squarely at the hero's head, and had it landed would have been the end of Tomas's quest forever. But the former sheepherder pulled from a deep reserve of strength and as the big cat jumped he crouched down so the beast overshot his, then as the solid body passed overhead he whirled and rose, reaching out and grabbing the large back feet and pulling sharply backwards. Its leap cut short, the big animal slammed into the hard packed ground, stunning him. Allowing no chance for the beast to recover, Tomas leapt on the downed cat's back and grasped the magnificent head in his strong hands, twisting it to the very maximum the tiger's spine could tolerate. One slight move on Tomas's part and the wondrous animal would be dead.

The blue eyes stared up into Tomas's brown orbs with undiminished pride and hatred; he might be beaten, but he was not defeated. The young hero couldn't help but respect the wild animal's fierce pride; it seemed such a waste to destroy something so very beautiful. Years of living amongst animals had given Tomas a sense of community with them, and acting on instinct he abruptly released the cat, standing and moving aside warily. The tiger immediately stood and whirled, baring his teeth in a feral snarl of rage. But he made no further move to attack Tomas; staring angrily at the young man for a moment before turning his back and joining the other two tigers to the side. As one the trio turned their back on the human and sauntered away, deeper into the compound.

Releasing a shaky sigh, suddenly feeling the fiery pain of his injuries, Tomas once again turned toward the totem, silently praying there would be no further attacks. Unopposed, he approached the tall structure, finding the Portent Orb was nestled in a triangular recess on the far face. He'd just touched the surface of the orb when a light flashed between him and the surface of the totem. Shocked he stepped back, empty handed, and found himself face-to-face with a diaphanous old man.

"Wilton, I presume," he asked, feeling illogically annoyed at the interruption. Hadn't he gone through enough?

"Go away, leave us in peace. We've done you no harm," the spirit stated. Tomas could see that Wilton had been a fairly old man, with thinning white hair and the florid complexion of a heavy drinker.

"Be happy to. All I really want is the orb," Tomas countered, crossing his arms over his chest.

"The orb is the crux of everything, if you remove it all will come apart."

"What exactly is this 'all'?" Tomas asked, curious despite himself.

"Magic is dangerous, it cannot be allowed to wander the world unfettered. Wizards, warlocks, witches...all must be contained. The world must be protected. So here they stay. Safe. All is safe. If this place had existed before she'd still be alive, you see," the old man rambled, growing more agitated as he spoke.

"She?" the young man prompted.

"Lily. The sweetest flower to ever bloom in my world. She almost saved me, if only I'd met her sooner. Before. But I didn't, and I lost control of the magic, and she was too close and too young and too trusting and I can't ever let something like that happen again. I can't let you release them back on the world." Gossamer tears flowed down translucent cheeks.

"What have you done?" Tomas wondered, keeping his voice soft and neutral in deference to the pain this restless spirit obviously still felt.

"I created the perfect magic trap, so to speak. And not to worry, they are not destroyed, they're all still here," he stated, indicating the posts on the fence; or more precisely, the crystals. "The more powers that are trapped, the more powers that are attracted to the trap. I _was_ very good at what I did, you know."

Understanding suffused Tomas; now he knew why the orb could be used for what seemed to be an evil purpose. It wasn't evil in intent, just in effect. But even though well meaning, Tomas knew his duty was to release those innocent spirits and disarm this place forever.

Unsure of what danger this ghost presented, he decided to try to get him to agree to the plan first. "Is this what Lily would have wanted?" he wondered.

"Lily wasn't of the magic world," Wilton protested. "She loved me, but she didn't understand what I did. Would she approve?" The old man looked confused by the concept. "I don't know. She wouldn't want anyone to be hurt," he decided at last.

"But they have been," Tomas pointed out. "One need only look around this courtyard to know people have been hurt. Why have you been letting those in who would destroy your perfect trap?" he asked suddenly, realizing that this could be a key point.

"Balance, young man. Everything must be in balance," Wilton stated with conviction. "Strength cannot be maintained if it is never tested. Conflict builds power, maintains vigor. There is no existence without danger. But a hero already knows this, does he not?"

Tomas nodded in agreement, he did indeed know that. "But, consider; have you not interfered with the balance of the world by removing the magic? Is magic not like the wind and the water, a necessary part of the world? By removing it you have upset the very balance you declare must exist. Perhaps this is why this province is so naturally impoverished."

The spirit jerked as if he'd suffered a physical blow. "That can't be true," he whispered.

"Look inside your own heart - you know it is. I think I understand why you set out to do what you've done, but can't you see it isn't the real solution? If you remove magic, you remove the chance for the people of the world to learn to use it properly, to remove a chance for the people to grow. And growing and changing are as vital to existence as balance, isn't that so?"

"I've done a terrible thing, haven't I?" Wilton asked brokenly. For the first time in decades perhaps, someone was seeing the good man the wizard had been meant to be.

"It's not to late to undo it," Tomas prodded gently, feeling irrationally guilty for having pointed out the truth to this old wizard.

"It is for some," he sighed, tears again on withered cheeks. "But it is all I can do at this point." With that the ghostly figure disappeared like a puff of smoke on the wind. Tomas again reached for the orb.

As soon as he'd pulled it free from its niche it flashed a brilliant white, sending bolts of pure power to each crystal surrounding the compound. Simultaneously they exploded and wisps of spirit soared from each smoking ruin. Tomas's pain was forgotten in the wonder of the sight of dozens of entrapped spirits finally freed. They danced and eddied in the air, multicolored and mystical. Unnoticed, his five companions joined him as soon as the magic fence was gone.

"Oh, my Gods, it's incredible," Kym whispered, her eyes shining with the joy she sensed from all around them.

"It's right," Trini added solemnly.

"It's over," Will added, a smile creasing his face.

"Good job, Tomas," Jason said, putting a companionable hand on the taller man's shoulder. "Amazing."

"I think I'll collapse now," Tomas grinned, holding the orb with both hands and dividing his attention between its soft glow and the slowly dissipating spirits around them.

"Come, I need to treat those injuries," Will said, turning his attention to Tomas with a worried look. "Some are quite deep," he noted.

"Not quite yet, and not here, please," Tomas requested firmly. "I want to get out of here."

The others couldn't help but agree. Though the trapped souls were finally free, there were far too many reminders of the years of death that had passed in this place. All of them would be happy to leave it far behind.

As the trapped spirits soared with their new found freedom, one drifted purposefully toward the six friends, alighting a few feet in front of them and assuming the form of a statuesque woman with dark hair piled high on her head. The form was partially translucent, the dark shape of rocks and trees faintly visible directly behind her.

"Thank you." The woman's voice was almost as unsubstantial as her form. "From all of us. Thank you."

"You're welcome. Will you all find peace now?" Tomas asked.

"Yes. You've set us truly free. It is a good thing you have done here."

"Who are you?" Kymberly wondered, feeling as if she should know the woman.

A second insubstantial form approached and started to take shape as the ghost-woman replied. "My name is Rita."

The new arrival was considerably shorter, and darker, than Rita. With a growing sense of sorrow the six friends recognized the slight form of Aysha.

"How?" Kymberly asked, tears standing in her large eyes as she realized they'd been talking with a ghost the night before. "Why Aysha and not you?"

"I felt the arrival of a strong force of good in the town, and knew it was the first, best chance we'd had to finally achieve freedom. I had enough strength and power left to send a representation to town, but the crystal I was trapped in prevented me from sending my own image. But Aysha lacked sufficient powers to cause the crystals to trap her spirit self, so I was able to send her," Rita explained.

Aysha looked at them with sorrow and regret. "I'm sorry. I would have told you the truth if I could, but it would have caused the spell to be broken. I couldn't give you any details, explain the dangers, or expose what had really happened to me. The laws of magic are not to be trifled with. As Wilton found out."

"Is...is there someone who needs to be told of what happened to you?" Kymberly wondered, wiping away her tears distractedly.

"No, your highness, there is no one. I was alone except for Rita, and now we will be together forever. Please set your mind at peace about me, and go forth to your destiny with faith that things happen in the time and way they are meant to. Fare well."

With that the two forms once again dissolved to wisps of spirit, born away on the gentle breeze that blew through the courtyard.

_**tbc**_


	13. Chapter 13

**_Authors notes:_**_ Wow. Almost three years since I updated. Time flies, it seems. As always, no promises as to when Ill next update, but for now heres a mite more story to whet all our appetites. Thanks as always for reading. See earlier chapters for various disclaimers, warnings, etc. _

PART THIRTEEN

"Ow!"

"Do you want these wounds to become inflamed? To get sick and die?" Will asked sternly of the fidgeting Tomas.

"Of course not, but that hurts," the wounded hero protested.

"That's because it's working," the apprentice healer informed his reluctant patient, ignoring the stifled snickers from the other side of their campfire.

"Hmph," Tomas snorted, not appeased, but making an effort to hold still while Will treated the wounds he'd received in his battle for the fifth Portent Orb. And the herbal paste Will was currently applying to the cuts on his arm was a sight less unpleasant than the stitches that had been required to close his leg wounds.

Despite the injuries Tomas had suffered in his battle with the white tiger, they had opted to simply bandage his wounds tightly and put as much distance as possible between them and the wizard's sanctuary. Only Will's insistence that Tomas's wounds needed treatment convinced them to stop, choosing a camp site near a small river, under the shelter provided by several tall trees.

The events of the evening and morning just past had left them feeling both encouraged - only one more orb to find! - and worried; Tomas had come far too close to dying in his battle. They were definitely too wound up to sleep, and too tired to continue traveling. So they sat around their fire, watching Will tend to Tomas, and discussing their next destination.

"It's your home province, right?" Zack asked Jason, gnawing lazily on a leftover bone from dinner. "Get a chance to see the folks and all, huh?"

"More like give me a chance to confer with my father, he may know where the last orb is. I don't remember ever hearing legends of it. How about you, Will?" Jason queried of his childhood companion.

"You'd want to ask Merdrick," the blond replied, binding Tomas's wounds snugly. "He guards the mystical secrets of your kingdom with the utmost determination."

"Do I sense frustration, my friend," Jason countered, a grin tugging at the corners of his mouth. He remembered all too well Will's insatiable curiosity.

"He did prove to be difficult to obtain information from," was the evasive reply.

The prince chuckled outright at that, while the others grinned, easily able to guess how things had gone. The old wizard, who'd served Olscott's father in his youth, had considered it fine sport to thwart the youngest prince's whipping boy in his attempts to learn of the magical arts. Though he appeared to have nothing against the lad personally, he'd not seen the advantage of letting a youth with such a limited future fill his head with knowledge he'd never have a use for. And darned if the youngster hadn't proven quite the challenge over the years. The quiet competition had resulted in a grudging mutual respect leavened with a healthy dose of affection.

Merdrick was a master wizard, his abilities unparalleled. He'd studied arts since he was first able to toddle after his grandfather, the previous royal wizard. Those who longed to apprentice under Merdrick traveled from every corner of the world, but he'd only taken on seven during his lifetime. Seven extraordinary disciples who were among the most powerful practitioners in all the lands. But not a one of them could even come close the Merdrick's skill.

"That old fellow rather makes me uneasy," Jason admitted with a sheepish grin. "I always get the feeling that he knows way more than I'll ever be able to learn. Hopefully he'll be able - and willing - to help me."

"So, it's decided, we head to West Ruby?" Tomas asked, shifting to a more comfortable seat now that Will had finished; that it happened to be by Kymberly's side was purely coincidental.

"Seems like the most likely plan," Jason agreed, skillfully hiding the pain in his spirit as Kymberly looked up at Tomas with her heart in her eyes.

"If you're well enough to travel, that is," she demurred, her small hand resting on his knee.

"I'm well enough to travel tonight," Tomas assured her, eyeing the ever tightening collar with a meaningful frown.

"I can't help but feel guilty - you took such a risk, you came so close..." her voice trailed off to a stifled sob.

Across the fire, sitting far enough back to be mostly outside the warm circle of light, Jason's heart broke just a little bit more. His chances to win Kymberly's heart had been slim at best before this eventful day, but now...

His reverie was broken by the warm weight of a friendly hand on his shoulder. He looked up at Will who was perched on a boulder beside him. In the pale green depths of his oldest friend's gaze he saw knowledge, understanding and warm sympathy. The prince quirked a rueful half smile at his companion, then turned his attention back to the conversation still swirling about the blaze. But he was gratefully aware of the friendly warmth of the hand that remained.

~*~

King Olscott was a traditionalist, and his Province reflected that. The world seemed to move at a slower pace under his benevolent rule, many of the old ways and the old ideals from generations before were still observed. The people of the province resisted change, younger folks by-and-large drifted to other provinces, seeking the excitement of variation and newness. Older folks from other provinces drifted to the Olscott's lands seeking the solace of tradition, the reminder of departed youth.

His palace reflected this perfectly: large but not ostentatious, ornate but not gaudy, luxurious but not decadent. A uniformed pair of guards flanked the entrance, moving in perfect synchronization to block the way as the weary sextet of travelers approached.

Jason quirked a rueful half-grin at his companions and stepped to the forefront, baring his shoulder and smirking at the guard on the left. "Has it really been that long, Darious?" he wondered.

"Your Highness, forgive me," the guard replied, drawing back and coloring in embarrassment. "We had not heard you were expected."

"Consider it a surprise," the young prince said, his tone mildly amused. "I trust my father is here?"

"Indeed. He will be most pleased to see you, I'm sure," Darious reported, indicating the group should proceed. He gave Will a sharp gaze but made no comment; he'd learned long ago the perils of a loose tongue where the prince's friend was concerned.

Jason beckoned his companions forward, moving with an unconscious increase in confidence and a speed that belied his nonchalant attitude toward seeing his family again. The occasional servant they passed gave a classic double take as the young prince hurried by; their puzzlement changing to pleased recognition that clearly demonstrated the popularity of King Olscott's third son.

Jason unerringly led his friends to the King's study, where King Olscott sat at his huge desk reading some royal dispatch with a frown of concentration. He looked up impatiently, until his preoccupied mind recognized Jason. The frown instantly transformed into a smile of pure pleasure and he stood, striding with unseemly haste to gather his offspring into a warm embrace.

"Jason! By the Gods I'm glad to see you! Your mother will be beside herself with relief," he declared, holding his son at arms length and looking him over with a fondly critical gaze. "You've lost weight." His gaze rose to take in the others, standing just inside the door and trying unsuccessfully to be invisible. "I see you've brought guests," he noted dryly, reaching for a small bell he rang with a practiced efficiency.

The middle-aged woman in a blue servant's uniform appeared before the last echo had faded. "Yes, sire?"

"Please inform Cook we have six more for dinner, and let your Queen know her son is home. Arrange appropriate lodging for our guests, organize whatever amenities they need, and see them to their rooms," he instructed in an offhand way, his gaze barely wavering from his son's visage. He always feared when he saw Jason that it would be for the last time, so he'd developed the habit of staring at his son as if the young man would vanish without a trace before his very eyes.

The servant nodded wordlessly, beckoning the others to follow, leaving the king and his son to their reunion. She led them to a well lighted wing of the castle, stopping only long enough to murmur instructions to a quartet of younger maids who scurried off to carry out her bidding. She ushered Kymberly, Trini, Zack and Tomas to separate chambers before turning to Will with a carefully neutral look. "Your old chambers are ready," she informed him, not unkindly. Will gave her a nod and turned to leave without comment.

The others entered their rooms, sighing in appreciation of the comfortable beds and the evidence that a warm bath was soon forthcoming. Small platters of fresh fruits and cheese soon arrived, a welcome snack to tide them over until the evening meal.

Back in the King's study Jason's mother and older brothers had arrived; an impromptu and joyous reunion of an always close and loving family. Queen Marjory drank in the sight of her healthy, hearty son as if it were the finest wine, nearly lightheaded with relief - she always secretly feared the worst when Jason was out on his adventures. Every time he bid them goodbye she felt as if it were the last time.

"So, what's with the guests?" Jarrod queried, settling down on a comfortable chair. The middle son led a life of amiable pleasure, unencumbered by any official duties - he left that to the crown prince, Jacob.

Jason recounted Princess Kymberly's plight, causing his mother to gasp in horror at what the young woman faced. Realizing they had put a princess in accommodations meant for lower caste guests, she hurried out to make amends to the young royal, leaving the men in the family to bond over the tale of adventure and intrigue.

~*~

Over Kymberly's protests Queen Marjory moved her to a three-room suite, suitable for a guest of her status. The young princess had insisted that she had not felt slighted in the least, and after assuring her that her apology was accepted - if unwarranted - the two royals fell into conversation as if they'd been long time friends.

"I simply cannot believe that Jason has dragged you along, though all the Provinces, sleeping in the dirt and going days without proper facilities," the Queen groused, sipping a cup of tea and nibbling on a butter cookie.

"He didn't drag me along," the young princess insisted, blowing on her own steaming brew, "I insisted that he include me!"

"But, my dear, think of propriety! You are traveling with unmarried young men, some of whom are so far below your station you should not even be acknowledging they exist," the elder royal insisted, eyeing her young guest sternly. "It's one thing for Jason to associate with Will - they do have a long history of association - but for you? Completely unacceptable!"

Kymberly choked back an angry retort, reminding herself of the Queen and her husbands' reputation as traditionalists, and found a pleasant voice for her reply. "That may be true, but Will - like the others - is risking his life to save mine. That hardly fits with the popular convention that Outcastes are without soul, spirit or honor. It is only a quirk of fate that he is what he is."

Queen Marjory's opinion of her petite companion soared at the younger woman's words and the strength she heard in that melodious voice. With a small, cryptic, smile the matriarch raised her glass in salute. "Some day young lady, you will be a queen to be reckoned with," she stated, startling a bashful smile from Kym.

"You wouldn't have thought so a couple of weeks ago," she demurred, her gaze falling on the distant mountains visible from the room's window. "I just hope I survive to see that future."

~*~

"So, you hear the last Portent Orb is here at home, eh?" Prince Jarron smirked, always on the prod when it came to his younger brother. "How ironic is that?"

"I don't recall ever hearing about it," Jason rejoined, refusing to give his brother the satisfaction of being annoyed. "Father?"

King Olscott leaned back in his chair, a pensive expression on his regal face. "Yes, Jason, the Portent Orb you seek is here. I know only that it is hidden within the Vermiglio Mines, and that no one who has sought the Orb has emerged successful. Or alive."

The significance of his words was not lost on his youngest son. "Still, Father, I must try. Kymberly's life is in the balance. Besides, it's not like the first five were all that easy to obtain," he noted wryly.

The ruler of West Ruby Province had to chuckle at Jason's comment, even as an icy band of fear crept around his heart. Perhaps it was best that he wasn't around while Jason was on a quest - this was hardly soothing to a parent's soul!

"Then I would recommend you seek the counsel of Merdrick" he advised, unknowingly echoing Will's earlier advice. "His knowledge of the Portent Orb's location is far superior to mine, I'm certain," his father suggested. "You should take Will with you," he added, a sly twinkle in his dark eyes.

That comment even managed to elicit a chuckle from the overly serious Crown Prince, Jacob. "Indeed," he grinned. "I think the old wizard has missed your friend. There's no one left around here to challenge him."

"Well, we can't have a bored wizard, for certain," Jason agreed, standing up. "Since we are under a severe time constraint, I shall consult Merdrick now. I'll see you all at dinner," he said, taking his leave and heading down to the servant's quarters to collect Will.

Jason found his long-time friend resting on the narrow bed in the familiar, windowless room. Any small touches of comfort or personality had, of course, been long removed, but the lack didn't seem to bother Will all that much.

"Hey, Buddy, you want to come along to see Merdrick?" Jason queried, smiling at Will's obviously feigned display of disinterest.

"If I can be of assistance, of course," he murmured, rising to join the prince with studied casualness.

Jason clapped Will companionably on the back as the two young men headed toward the northern section of the castle. The prince mused how on his travels he'd met many wizards, and most had lived in the darker recesses of the castles. Their quarters were often shadowy, cluttered, full of a hodge-podge collection of vials, containers and talismans. The practitioners themselves dressed in flowing robes with cryptic symbols, and almost always they wore some sort of pendant that _looked_ magical, at least. But, thanks to years of association with Merdrick, those trappings never impressed him in the slightest.

Merdrick had no need for the mystical accouterments his lesser skilled brethren used; he was well aware his extraordinary skill and reputation needed no embellishments. His quarters took up the top three floors of the northern tower, an area filled with airy light and allowing for a magnificent view from all sides. The top floor was his personal chamber, and no one had been in there in decades. The middle floor was his workshop, where all the windows were partially glassed with random bits of colored glass, so that at any time of the day the room was awash in colored light. His shelves were filled with a tidy, well-organized collection of paraphernalia and literature; his workbenches clean and uncluttered. The bottom floor was the living area, including a small kitchen off to one side. Simple, sturdy, comfortable furniture filled the space, and yet more books lined the many shelves.

Jason and Will knocked respectfully on the door to the lower floor, waiting patiently for the master wizard to respond. When the door opened, Merdrick looked them over quickly, then impatiently motioned them in, indicating they should follow as he hurried back up the stairs. Jason grinned at Will and hurried after the old man.

If one were to meet Merdrick on the street they would not immediately conclude he was a wizard. The only concession the master made to popular convention was his beard: it reached nearly to his knees, as pure white as the snow that capped the northern mountains in the winter. He wore no hat at all; his long white hair was pulled back into a single thin tail. No flowing robe was in sight, instead he was attired in black breeches, topped by an untucked white smock with a number of various sized pockets, most of which were already filled. Soft-soled shoes covered his feet, allowing him to move soundlessly across the hard wood floors of the castle.

The wizard hurried to the second floor and immediately went to the middle workbench upon which sat a vial of purplish liquid, steaming languidly. The old man dropped in a pinch of a colorless powder, resulting in a muted flash after which the liquid turned pale green. Merdrick grunted and poured a draught of the liquid into a smaller container, which he capped tightly. Only then did he turn to his guest.

"Well, well...the prodigal son returns," he rasped, looking both young men over critically. "Along with his trusty sidekick." Merdrick's face was lined and soft, making him look like a sweet natured grandfather. But the personality he turned to the world at large was acerbic and wry; he wasted no time on meaningless flattery or social niceties. Jason had long since figured out that the wizard used his biting personality to keep the world at arm's length, and to weed out those whose association was unworthy of him, and accordingly ignored the older man's comments.

"I need to locate the Portent Orb, Father said he believed it was hidden in the Vermiglio Mines," the prince informed the wizard, wasting no time in details he knew the old man would not appreciate.

"And what would the likes of you need the Orb for? That is a power not to be trifled with. Though the Orb alone is not particularly powerful in and of itself," Merdrick replied sharply.

"We need to get the Key of Integrity to release the Collar of Garrotidus," Jason replied succinctly.

"I see. And who, exactly, is the unfortunate person who is wearing the Collar?"

"Princess Kimberly, only daughter of King Caplyn."

"I've heard of her," the wizened wizard mused. "A single Orb will do you no good."

"We've already found the other five," Jason replied, staring sternly at the royal wizard. "This one would be the final piece."

"I see. And you believe the life of a single, somewhat frivolous, female is worth the release of that sort of power?" The wizard stroked his beard contemplatively.

"I believe any innocent life is worthy," Jason stated stoutly, leaving no room for doubt.

"Humph. You've grown as soft and liberal as any nobleman, I see," the old man observed, unperturbed by the young royal's glower.

Jason's patience snapped. It had been a long journey, fraught with many dangers and emotions, and to have this old geezer dismiss it so cavalierly...it was unthinkable!

"Listen you old bag of bones! I will find the damned Orb with or without your help! I will not stand idly by while a beautiful, loving, WORTHY life is lost...." he trailed off, seeing the smirk on the wizened face of the royal wizard.

"There it is! I wanted to see the passion, the determination...this is not a trifling affair, young Prince," the wizard noted, settling down on a nearby stool. "Too many lost their lives over the years on a whim. I won't see Olscott lose you that way as well." Only the royal wizard would dare refer to the king in such a familiar manner.

Jason released his breath in a gusty sigh. "You are the most infuriating..." he controlled himself with an effort. "Can you help me or not?" he asked at last.

"I can help, though I'm still not convinced I should," the wizard replied, looking closely at the prince. For just a moment the faade of sternness wavered and a glimpse of what almost appeared to be sorrow could be seen in the nearly colorless eyes of the master magician.

"Kymberly does not deserve this fate," Jason reminded him reasonably, having missed the change in the older man. But standing just behind the prince, Will saw the momentary flux and felt a corresponding grip of icy fear around his heart. What was the old seer seeing?

"The Orb you seek was hidden in the deepest bowels of the old Vermiglio Mines, placed there years ago by my own father, and the protections set up to guard it are...unique." There was an unconscious straightening of the elder's spine with pride of his father's skills. "Father wasn't just impressed with cunning, but put a premium on physical prowess. Those who tried over the years have failed because of a lack of one or the other. Take your pal, here," the elder continued, gesturing at Will almost dismissively. "Sure, he can unquestionably think his way around the problem, but no way could he physically beat it. He'd be killed sure enough."

Jason grinned less than pleasantly. "So Will and I together can make it work."

"Near the end there is only room for one, or so I've been told."

"We. Will. Find. A. Way." Jason ground out, at the end of his tolerance. "With or without any help."

"Heh. Hot headed and impetuous, a ripe combination for disaster," Merdrick purred, enjoying baiting the prince.

"Determined and adaptable, more like," Jason countered, still sounding a bit out of sorts. When it came to Kymberly's life, he had little patience for anything that stood in his way.

"The eyes of the wolf will show you the way, follow the frog's chill path. Take the bird's eye view to the inner room, where a ferocious guardian is your final test." Merdrick recited the instructions with his eyes closed, the singsong cadence of his voice in sync with his serene look.

"Sounds easy enough," the prince muttered, knowing full well it would not be simple in the least. "What do you think, Will?"

"I think with the proper provisions and preparation we can get the last Orb," the fledgling magician commented, earning a derisive snort from the master.

"I would consider it a success if you don't end up dead."

"Thank you, Merdrick, for your information," Jason replied with a slight bow.

The wizened man sighed suddenly, looking his age for a moment. "Good luck and God speed, young man."

~*~

"Okay, we need to be sure everyone is ready to go first thing in the morning," Jason declared as he and Will headed back to the main area of the castle. "We don't have any time to spare!"

Jason might have been oblivious to the thinly veiled warnings of the old wizard, but Will was not. He shot a worried look at the young man whose compassion had shaped the Outcaste's world, then nodded his agreement.

"Indeed," he agreed without embellishment.

"We should take some supplies: ropes, picks, that sort of thing," the prince continued, his mind totally focused on the task at hand. "In this case it might be best to leave Kymberly and Zack at the castle, I can't see how they would be of that much assistance," he noted.

"We have faced everything to this point together, and successfully," Will countered, keeping his tone carefully neutral. "It might be ill-advised to change it now."

"I just don't see how Kymberly can be of much help in a mine," the dark haired young man replied, pausing thoughtfully. "I'm not really comfortable with how much danger and roughness we've exposed her to already."

"If you want danger, try explaining that mindset to her," Will commented dryly.

Jason chuckled in appreciation, though privately he had to completely agree with his friend: Kymberly was a force to be reckoned with. "I know, I know. But still..." he trailed off.

"Still, she is a princess, and no amount of her trying to prove otherwise will alter that fact," Will concluded for him.

"Exactly!"

~*~

To say Kymberly was not in agreement with Jason's proposed plans was to put it mildly. His mind flashed back to the cyclones that had devastated three of the provinces four seasons past as he watched her reaction to his suggestion. With a temper like that it was fortunate she didn't practice the magic arts!

"You are **_NOT_** going to go into the Vermiglio Mines and risk life and limb while I sit here in what amounts to a gilded cage and worry myself sick over your fates!" the petite royal declared, her entire body vibrating with restrained fury. "I have not come this far, gone through this much, to suddenly be relegated to spectator status at the end. We agreed at the very beginning to do this as a team, and a team we will remain. And being a team means we are all involved. Do not attempt to dissuade me, Jason. I wont have it!" At no time in their travels together had she seemed more a royal than in this moment, and as he watched her turn to leave his love and admiration increased yet again. What an incredible woman she would become! Still, she was so young, so tiny, and she was a princess, and there was propriety to consider.

"But Kymberly," he began, only to step back when she whirled toward him with fire in her eyes.

"If you try to stop me I will simply follow you after the fact, which would likely be far more dangerous. One way or another I am going. Deal with it!" she snapped, turning once again and storming out, leaving Jason standing in a daze, feeling for all the world like hed just been attached by a particularly ferocious kitten.

"Damn," he muttered, shaking his head in confusion and heading toward the royal dining room for dinner.

Tomorrow was bound to be interesting.

**To be continued**


	14. Chapter 14

PART FOURTEEN

The morning found the six friends once again mounting their trusty steeds, each burdened by a knapsack containing various provisions they had determined might be needed for the quest for the final Portent Orb and the retrieval of the Key of Integrity. Kymberly glowered at Jason when they met at the stables, her expression all but daring him to make any sort of comment regarding her joining the excursion. Jason, however, was as intelligent as he was brave; he decided that giving in gracefully would be the most prudent idea, so he greeted her with his customary warm smile and no comment.

Jason's parents and brothers were gathered on the lowest balcony at the front of the castle, cups of fragrant coffee and plates of delicate pastries littering the table around which they sat. Various members of the court occupied other nearby balconies, as it was customary in the warm seasons to have the morning meal outside. The six travelers stopped below, Jason standing in his stirrups so he could more easily see his family.

"Be well and safe, my son," King Olscott said gravely, while at his side Queen Marjory wiped a stray tear away. They'd said their private goodbyes earlier, of course, but a mother was allowed some extra sentiment. "I hope your quest concludes well."

"Thank you, Father. Mother. I will send word as to the outcome," Jason replied formally. A low murmur of well wishes from the other balconies reached the young people, surprisingly heartwarming. Jason usually hated these 'formal' farewells, preferring to slip out unnoticed, but this time was different and he was grateful for the support.

Nodding once, Jason lowered himself to the saddle and applied his heels to the horse's flanks, moving out at a quick trot. He paused and turned one last time as the neared the gate, imprinting the image of his much loved parents and brothers on his mind, returning their waves before passing out of the courtyard and onto the road. For just a moment he felt a sense of impending doom, a foreboding that he would not pass this way again. The feeling passed in a blink of an eye, then his full attention turned to the matter at hand. They could not fail on this quest.

~*~

The Vermiglio Mines were only a couple hours ride from the castle, but seemed much further considering the vast difference in the landscape. Whereas the valley that housed the royal court was lush and green, this area was a gray-scape of rugged granite outcroppings between which a motley selection of low, prickly sagebrush grew. A wandering wind swirled around the jagged edges, creating an eerie low whistling, while a trio of large birds circled high above, seeking their next meal. Even the narrow river that wound its meandering way through the area was a washed out gray.

Jason followed the directions he'd been given to the entrance of the mines, dismounting and tying his horse to the crooked sign that stood just to the left of an arched mine entrance at the base of a particularly large outcropping. The mines were located in a flat, depressed area surrounded by hills and rocky outcroppings that created a sort of natural amphitheater. At the center stood a stylized statue of a wolf, as if standing guard over the area.

"Lovely place," Zack noted dryly, as the rest of the teens dismounted. "Think I might consider retiring here. Surely wouldn't have to worry about the neighbors."

Trini smiled at her friend, recognizing his comment for what it was: an attempt to disguise his unease with humor. There was a distinctly ominous feeling to this place.

"There are four entrances here, any idea which one we should take?" Tomas asked briskly, his sharp eyes taking in all the details.

"Will, what did Merdrick tell us?" Jason queried, turning to his friend.

A thoughtful look crossed Will's face as he repeated from memory: "The eyes of the wolf will show you the way, follow the frog's chill path. Take the bird's eye view to the inner room, where a ferocious guardian is your final test."

"Well, the eyes of the wolf are looking at that entrance," Tomas noted, pointing to an opening on the north side of the clearing. "Shall we start there?"

"Makes sense," Jason agreed, reaching up to untie his saddlebag. "Let's get what we may need. A torch or two, some rope, shovels, picks, anything else you think we may want," the young prince ordered, pulling out a length of stout rope which he looped over his shoulder and around his neck. Soon the others were outfitted and standing around the prince looking at the mine entrance with something akin to dread.

"By the gods this place is creepy," Kymberly noted, shivering slightly. She was dressed in a sensible pair of soft breeches and a form-fitting top. Her long hair was tied back in a simple braid, and sturdy shoes protected her feet. The deadly Collar of Garrotidus was now flush to her delicate neck. Had it been on someone of Jason's size he would already be dying or dead from the cutoff of blood flow.

"Let's get this done," Jason said stoutly, leading his small cadre of companions to the entrance. Before ducking inside he used his flint to light a torch, then ignited the one Trini carried with his own.

Though the entrance was low, once inside the ceiling was more than high enough to allow them to stand upright. The stale air reeked of waste and death, and a deep chill caused them to unconsciously group closer together. The walls were unadorned and rough, and in the near distance they could hear the soft burble of water.

"Frogs like water," Tomas muttered, looking at Jason questioningly. "Wasn't that the next part of the old wizard's instructions?"

Will and Jason nodded in tandem, Will's attention focused on the area from which the water sounds came. "Come on," Jason instructed in a soft voice, starting toward the sounds. "I think we're going in the right direction. Watch out for...anything."

The passage grew tight and lower, forcing the young people to move forward single file. It was several minutes before Jason, who was in the lead, realized he was walking in shallow water. The rank smell of the cave intensified, changing subtly.

"Put out the torches!" Will suddenly demanded, his urgent voice startling his companions. "I know that smell. Put them out!" To their credit, both Jason and Trini immediately extinguished their lights without question, plunging the group into deep darkness.

"Will?" Jason asked, taking pains to keep his voice neutral. "How do you expect us to move forward now?"

"Jason, that smell in here? It's a gas that is highly explosive. If it reaches a dense enough concentration the torch would set off an explosion that would be more than adequate to kill us all."

"So we move ahead blindly?" the prince asked with some asperity.

"I would think that would be preferable to being incinerated," Will retorted, his irritation at himself for not recognizing the odor earlier making him sound sharper than he intended.

"Wait!" Zack cut in, his voice unusually serious. "Remember when we first touched the Orbs we already have? Didn't they glow? I wonder if we can somehow make them glow again, at least enough to light our way? Wouldn't take much light in here to make it so we can go on," the jester noted.

"It's worth a try," Tomas agreed, already reaching in his pack for the Orb he'd obtained at such risk just two days ago. The others did the same, for none of them had been willing to let the Orbs out of their possession at any time. For a time Kymberly had carried them all, but a few nights ago shed returned all but the one shed gotten from the Firebird of Paradise. Each Orb glowed softly with its distinct color as long as it was held in the hand of the person who had earned it.

"Wow. You can...you can...almost FEEL the power. It's right there, below the surface, waiting...wanting...to come out," Kymberly breathed, her lovely face solemn in the soft pink glow of the Orb she held.

Zack's idea proved to be a good one, with five of them holding Orbs they had enough light to proceed. How very fortunate they were that Will had recognized the odor was brought home graphically: they had not gone very far when they realized the walls around them were black with old soot. Someone - or some ones - had not known about the gas and had paid with their lives. Kymberly gasped in horror at the sight of whitewashed bones under the shallow water they were walking through and all of them moved forward even more slowly, trying desperately not to step on the remains.

"Thanks Will," Jason said in a subdued tone, horrified at what could have happened to his group of friends if Will hadn't warned them to put out the torches.

The sound of falling water soon reached their ears, growing steadily louder. Still, Jason nearly stepped over the edge of the abyss, it was only Tomas's quick grab of the back of his shirt that kept him from tumbling to his death.

"I'm really not liking this place," Zack noted, as the other three stopped behind him. "What now?" he asked Jason.

"Now I guess we go across this bridge," the young man replied, indicating a natural limestone bridge across the fissure. The Orbs provided only minimal light, nowhere near enough for the group to see how deep the opening in the ground was. At least there was an adequate ledge leading to the bridge, and in the faint light it appeared there was a similar ledge on the opposite side. What they could not see was any sort of opening in the opposite wall.

"Are you sure it is strong enough to support our weight?" Tomas wondered, indicating the bridge. "I'd hate to get halfway across and find out it can't."

"We'll use the ropes," Jason decided, removing the lengthy coil he'd brought. "I'll go first, and you guys hold the other end. If the bridge collapses you should be able to haul me back up."

"And then how will we get across, if that happens?" the young hero asked.

"Tomas, let's deal with one obstacle at a time, okay? Here, help me tie this on," he requested, looping the rope around his chest, just under his arms. Tomas knotted the rope carefully, then joined the others at the mouth of the cavern they'd just come through. They would need room to brace themselves should Jason actually fall. As soon as they were set Tomas gave Jason the go-ahead.

The prince chose his foot placement carefully, shifting his weight as gently as possible, not liking the occasional creak and groan from the bridge under him. He released a pent up breath as he stepped onto the opposite ledge, untying the rope as he did so.

"Come on across, Tomas. Just take it slow and careful," he instructed, wishing he had an Orb to let him explore while Tomas crossed. Seeing the five colorful glowing Orbs across the way made him feel strangely left out, a feeling he couldn't recall ever having before. He didn't much like it.

Having seen Jason successfully across gave Tomas the confidence to cross more quickly and he joined the dark haired prince in half the time it had taken Jason to cross. He used his Portent Orb to light the way along the narrow ledge, until they found what appeared to be a stone door. The barrier was about six feet tall and four feet wide, arched at the top and embossed with the image of a bird of prey.

"What was it Merdrick said about a bird?" Tomas wondered, startled when the answer came from behind him.

"Take the bird's eye view to the inner room," Trini provided. "The others are going to stay over there until we know what the next step is."

"Good idea," Jason approved, looking closely at the engraved image on the door. "I wonder..." He reached up and pressed on the eye of the bird, gratified when the door moved upward with a swirl of dust. "Stand clear, we don't know what to expect but I figure there will be booby traps."

Beyond the door was a tiny room, barely five square feet, and dominated by an altar topped by a five foot tall statue of a standing, snarling bear with glowing ruby eyes. Far more ominous was the scattering of human bones at the base of the altar. Bones that were brittle as glass, whitened with age. Resting in the cupped forepaws of the bear was the sixth Portent Orb. Despite the smallness of the room it would still be necessary for someone to take at least two steps into the room to reach their goal.

"I don't like the looks of those bones," Trini commented, standing at the entrance with the two young men. None of them was yet ready to step into the chamber, instead trying to determine what sort of traps were set up, a task made much harder with the limited visibility the faint light from the Portent Orbs provided.

"Nor do I, but we have to do something," Jason replied. He studied the area once again, seeing nothing out of the ordinary on the walls. He turned his attention to the floor, kneeling down to shift some of the bones away so he could see the floor itself. Very carefully removing those remains he could reach he realized the floor was patterned in squares of black, white and gray.

"What are you thinking?" Tomas asked, seeing the expression of concentration on the prince's face.

"I'm thinking that if I don't step on the right squares I'll trigger something bad. Like these guys did," he replied, indicating the remaining bones with a sweeping gesture of his hand.

"So what color? White - the color of goodness? Black - the color of evil? Or good old neutral gray?"

"Hmmm...you may have something there. The Orb can go either way, right? Either good or evil may possess it? So gray makes the most sense, really," Jason mused.

"Unless the magician who set this up wanted to only allow good in," Trini countered.

"True. But I have to be honest, I FEEL the neutral gray is the right way. It's not something I can explain, just something I feel in the marrow of my being."

"Then go for it," Tomas advised, not even wondering at his lack of interest in going for the Orb himself. It was simply right and proper that this Orb be Jason's.

"Be careful, Jason. We'll be right here to help," Trini added.

As soon as Jason stepped on the nearest gray rectangle he realized it was a mistake. A discordant note sounded and the heavy door began its descent back down as the remaining gray and white rectangles disappeared completely. The powerful young man shifted his weight on his back foot to the area outside the door, while keeping his front foot on the gray rectangle. Thus braced he caught the descending door and held it up with sheer strength.

"Tomas," he gritted out, "Get the damned Orb!" His powerful arms were already trembling with exertion.

"Not quite yet, Jason," Trini advised, looking over the situation carefully. She had untied herself from the safety rope and was looking at it, considering. Tomas realized she was analyzing the problem and allowed her the time.

"I suspect once the Orb is removed this whole side will disintegrate completely, I'd heard of such traps before. I'm going to tie this rope around you, Jason, then return to the other side. Tomas, you must move in as quickly as you can, grab and secure the Orb, then tackle Jason, driving him and you over the edge. You have to keep a grip on Jason, and we will pull you both to safety," she proposed, speaking with quick intensity.

"Can you do that?" the prince gasped out, shooting her a worried look.

"We have to," she assured him, tying the rope tightly around his barrel chest, making sure the knot was secure. "We can't lose either of you. Move quick," she reiterated to Tomas before moving with lithe grace back across the bridge.

Tomas considered his course of action carefully. Only the rectangle where Jason's right foot rested remained, along with four black ones that looked none too sturdy. The spaces where the white and gray tiles had been were empty, and as with the fissure they'd crossed earlier, they had no way to determine how deep the opening was. Plus, the tall teen realized that he would have to put away his own Orb before proceeding, which would mean he'd have to do it all in the dark as the others were also going to have to use both hands to support them. Not wanting to prolong Jason's ordeal, he still took a good amount of time before deciding on exactly how he was going to do this.

"Ready?" he asked at last, turning his attention once again to his princely companion.

"As I'll ever be. Are they?" Jason ground out, jerking his head in the direction of their four traveling companions.

"You guys ready over there?"

"Not quite, give us a couple more minutes, we're trying to make sure you two don't take a shortcut out of here," Zack's voice replied from the dimness across the abys"s.

Well hurry it up!"

Will had pulled a metal hoof pick out of his knapsack, eliciting a curious look from Trini. The fair-haired teen quirked her one of his small, slanted grins before replying to her unvoiced question. "I have no idea why I brought this with me, but I'm glad I did."

The pick was made of metal at least a half inch thick, and curved into a two-thirds completed circle with a tapered flat end for picking road debris out of the horses' shoes on one end, and a handle on the other. Will moved a few feet back into the tunnel until he located a crack in the wall that angled away from the opening. Using a nearby fist sized rock he drove the tapered end into the crack and secured the end of Jason's rope onto the protruding hoof pick.

"There's our emergency stop, if we need it," he commented, as Trini's face lit up in understanding.

"Will, you're a genius!" she exclaimed as Zack and Kymberly came to inspect what he'd done. "But, we need to tie ourselves in and get this done. Try to find a way to brace yourself against the wall of the cavern," she advised, suiting action to words as she looped part of the rope around her narrow waist. Zack took his position at the front of the group, with Will at his back and Kymberly as the anchor, just ahead of Will's makeshift "nail."

"Make sure your Orbs are secure," Zack advised, then snickered as he realized how that sounded. Only Will seemed to understand, and somehow that made it even funnier to the dark youth. When the last Orb disappeared into a bag he called across to Tomas, now as serious as he had ever been. "All set, let's do this."

Tomas took a deep breath and huffed it out in an attempt to calm himself. "This is what we're going to do," he told Jason, standing close to the one-time perceived rival who was now undeniably a friend. "I'm going to leap to the altar using only one step along the way. Whether it collapses or not is immaterial. Once I've secured the Orb I will literally launch myself from the altar to you, tackling you and using my momentum to carry us both over the edge. I'll give you a heads up and just as I push off from the altar I need you to push to door as far upward as you can. Got it?"

"Got it," the burly young man agreed breathlessly. "Just hurry, would you? This isn't light."

"Be ready over there!" he called out. Tucking his Portent Orb in his knapsack he launched himself toward the altar, using only one step to make the distance. He braced his feet on the tapered base while wrapping his left arm around the shoulders of the bear statue. He quickly shifted his knapsack and liberated the Portent Orb from the bear, securing it in the bag. Shifting to a hold that allowed him to crouch down tightly, his muscular legs coiled like a powerful spring.

Aiming for where he remembered Jason to be - it was now completely dark in the cavern - he called out "Now!" and launched himself toward the youthful prince.

Jason responded immediately, pulling from a reserve of strength he didnt even know he possessed, he pushed the stone door up as far as he could. Almost simultaneously he was hit from the side by Tomas, the impact sending them both out of the doorway and over the ledge. The sound of the now unencumbered door crashing down filled the area.

The two heroes fell a good ten feet before swinging over to slam into the opposite side of the abyss. The bone jarring collision very nearly sent Tomas tumbling to his death, and had Jason not instinctively grabbed Tomass arms as they fell that is surely what would have happened. Fighting to maintain their grip on each other both young men groaned as they bounced repeatedly against the rough surface, until at last they hung still over the seemingly bottomless pit.

Above them the other four struggled to maintain their own grips, the combined weight of the two largest members of their group almost more than they could support. The fact they were all standing in the stream complicated matters, and the water falling over the edge made it more difficult for Jason and Tomas as well. Both Zack and Will had been pulled off their feet and uncomfortably close to the edge before stopping and now they struggled to regain their footing and start pulling their friends to safety. Ominous creaks and groans filled the cavern as it appeared the chamber on the far side was beginning to disintegrate.

"Come on, guys, PULL!" Zack gasped out, his voice hoarse with effort in the darkness. "HURRY!"

Below the lip of the ledge, Jason was searching with his feet for anything he could brace with to help lever him to the top. Tomas had appeared to be nearly knocked senseless in the initial impact, but his death grip on Jason had not slackened. Thankfully his grip was around Jasons chest and shoulders, not his neck.

"Stay still, Tom," Jason panted, "and hang on." Finally his right foot found a stable outcropping and he used that and his free left hand to pull them close to the side. "Zack, I have a foothold, keep pulling and I'm going to try to step up. It should help," he instructed, offering up a quick prayer that his foot wouldn't slip on the damp surface.

"Good idea," Zack replied, having found a convenient indention in the ground where he could brace himself as well. When Jason made his step upward, the quartet on the surface was able to quickly take up the slack and keep the supporting pressure on the rope for the burly royal. Jason immediately sought, and found, another outcropping he could use. Thusly they were able to finally haul the exhausted prince and Tomas to the surface. As Jason's dark head appeared at the top the four on the surface scrabbled frantically for any and all handholds to haul them up and over the edge. As soon as the two heroes were safe they all collapsed in an ungainly heap for a moment, too winded and exhausted to move. But the escalating sounds of the caves collapse soon galvanized them to action.

Trini and Kymberly pulled out their Portent Orbs for light as they all stumbled to their feet, grabbing their knapsacks and hurrying back into the narrow passageway. This time there was no effort at delicacy or caution, they stumbled, lunged, and staggered as fast as they could through the dim, dangerous passage, helping each other in any way they could, until they tumbled out the entrance and back into the sunny clearing. They staggered toward their mounts, finally collapsing a hundred feet from the cave. A massive glut of dust and debris spewed from the entrance mere seconds after they escaped. Pale dust settled on them as they sprawled on the rocky ground too weary to even care about the dirt.

"Oh, my God," Zackary gaped, watching the jagged rocks above the cavern sink with majestically out of sight. "That was too close. Please tell me you got the Orb."

Wordlessly Tomas opened his knapsack and withdrew the newest Orb, rolling to his side so he could place it in Jasons hand. As soon as it was in the princes possession the Orb glowed a soft red and a sense of peace and well being suffused Jason as he turned a grateful smile on his friend.

"Well done, Jason," Tomas murmured as Kim slowly sank to the ground at his side. The others had also come over to form a sort of protective circle around the two friends theyd nearly lost in that dark place. They were soaking wet and filthy; caked with blood and sweat and dust, bruises already beginning to show. Beyond exhausted, Jasons body felt at least five times its usual weight, and even shifting his position sent waves of pain through him. The thought of trying to ride a horse was incomprehensible given how he felt. Still, the sight of the Collar at Kymberlys neck was enough to make him sit up with a groan he simply could not suppress.

"I'm not really sure I'm the one who earned it," the prince demurred, rubbing his sore neck and slowly trying to loosen now stiff muscles.

"I'm sure," Tomas countered his face solemn. "I had a good chance to look over the room, and what I think is that those before, who got that far, could not stop the door from lowering. They walked in, the door slammed down, and there they were stuck, until they died of thirst or hunger or whatever other trap might have been in there. The reason the floor started disappearing was the door not closing, I think. It was because of your fast action and incredible strength that we got the Orb out. None of us could have done what you did."

Jason felt warm color suffuse his face at the frankly admiring looks from his companions, and he held the final Portent Orb securely in his hands, reluctant for the moment to even put it out of sight in his battered knapsack. "It's beautiful, isnt it?" he asked softly, almost caressing the smooth surface. "I don't know why, exactly, but it's beautiful."

No one replied nor disagreed; each felt the exact same thing about the Orb they had acquired. Tomas knew he had not felt the same way when he held the last Orb as hed felt when he held the one hed gotten at the Wizard's Sanctuary in West Diamond. Holding that one felt right, holding the other one had felt...well, actually he hadn't felt... at all.

"Well, much as I'd like to take a nap for a week or two, now that we have all the Orbs we need to get to Seraph Mountain with all haste, find that monolith and get Kymberly free of the Collar. Then we can rest," Jason decided, pushing himself to a standing position. Overtaxed muscles protested, sending the young man stumbling, but Will and Zack steadied him until he had his balance. "Yeah, riding is going to be fun," he mumbled.

"We will only be riding until we find a place to spend the night," Kymberly declared, frowning at Tomas and Jason in turn. "You both need Will's attention, as does Zack," she noted, indicating the raw palms of the jester's hands. "And we all need a meal and a bath," she continued, all but daring anyone to argue with her. "It won't do us any good to kill ourselves this close to our goal. Seraph Mountain is not that far away, I would think well be at the monolith tomorrow even if we camped here."

'Yes, ma'am," Zackary retorted, giving her a humorously overstated salute. However, he kept a weather eye on Jasons progress, agreeing with her assessment. Though it was barely past midday they were all hurting and moving with considerably less energy than usual.

Wearily the group pulled themselves up on their horses and set out at a careful walk toward the distant peak of Seraph Mountain, watching for a likely campsite where they could prepare for what the next day would bring.

~*~

Back in North East Garnet Skullavich glared at the images he saw in the Vision Sphere, realizing that the heroes would reach the monolith in time to save young Kymberly. And worse, they were too close to their goal now; he wouldn't be able to launch a proper attack before they reached Seraph Mountain. But, he could be there at just about the same time.

And, if they were to fall victim to his attack, those six Portent Orbs would probably be enough to ease the sting of being rejected by the princess. Plus, hed still have his revenge, and even be there to see it personally. All-in-all, he realized, brightening considerably, things were going his way.

**_To be continued_**


	15. Chapter 15

_Authors notes: Wheee...only three months this time. Little better. Getting closer to the big showdown. Thanks as always to those who are hanging in there. KT_

**PART FIFTEEN**

Camp that evening was somewhat subdued, even after most of them had napped that afternoon in an attempt to recover from the ordeal in the Vermiglio Mines. Will put forth the idea that the assorted gasses and fumes they'd breathed in had contributed to their overall feeling of illness. The young healer had been busy tending their various cuts and bruises, and he'd made a large dose of an herbal drink which he insisted they drink, declaring it had restorative properties. It was after drinking that potion that most of them had fallen lightly asleep. Will and Trini were the exceptions; they stayed awake and kept guard.

"Do you think Skullavich will try something?" Will asked as the two of them sat beside their small camp fire. The other four were bundled in their bedding nearby, peacefully slumbering.

"It would make sense," the young woman replied, not looking up from her task of sharpening her sword. "It's what I would do in his place."

"So, the question is really how, when and where," the Outcaste pondered, mending Zackary's shirt as he spoke.

"Precisely. I would expect the where to be near the monolith. Though, now that we have all the Orbs it could be anywhere, I suppose," Trini suggested, frowning slightly. "He has some serious magic at his command, and my experience has been he doesn't hesitate to use it. After all, he's sentenced Kymberly to a gruesome death simply for rejecting him."

"Merdrick mentioned him a time or two, nothing really helpful, I suppose. I do recall him saying that Skullavich wasn't as smart as he should be. That he tends to act impetuously. We might be able to find a way to use that to our advantage," Will suggested.

Trini nodded thoughtfully, running possible scenarios through her mind. "An opponent who does not keep a proper perspective at all times is easier to defeat, according to my Zahara Master." She paused, glancing at their slumbering companions. "How long are they going to sleep?" she asked casually.

Will had the basic honesty to blush at her question, and answered in his forthright manner. "Perhaps another hour or so. They really were pretty banged up. Well, except Kymberly. _She_ needed to relax, she hides it very well, but the stress is getting to her," he noted.

"I wasn't arguing your reasoning, or your action. Tomas and Jason are both getting into their battle-ready mindset, and it's still too soon. And Zack, for all his humor, is just as bad. Must be something about you males," she commented serenely, ignoring her companion's glare. "Though if they figure out what you did, they may well be annoyed with you."

"Better annoyed and alive than pleased and dead," Will opined.

"Agreed."

~*~

Will got lucky after all, the napping quartet woke up feeling so much better they were not inclined to grumble about whatever method was used to affect the cure. Though all of them, especially Tomas and Jason, were still extremely stiff and sore, their spirits were better and after carefully stretching, they were fully mobile. Dinner was a relaxed affair, and once their hunger was sated the group sat around the waning fire, each lost in their own thoughts.

Jason was furtively watching Kymberly and Tomas, who sat side-by-side across the flames. Despite the physical discomfort - which was much muted by Will's potion - he felt more at peace now that they had all the Orbs. Whatever the next day brought, he was ready. Somewhere during the last twenty-four hours he'd reconciled himself to the fact that to Kymberly he could - would - be a friend, a contemporary, but nothing else. What had been a sharp pang of regret and sorrow yesterday was now a muted ache of acceptance. What was, was. As long as they could save Kym's life he had no complaints.

The young couple were not talking, just sitting close, deep into whatever thought were foremost in their minds. Kymberly's large brown eyes were suspiciously moist, and now and again a delicate hand would steal up to finger the now snug collar around her neck. After the third time that happened Tomas reached over and gently captured the errant hand, holding it in his own warm grip. He didn't look at her much, but he maintained his hold on her and let her know she was safe without words. His own gaze was considerably darker as he ran scenario after scenario of Skullavich's demise though his mind. He didn't know how he'd be able to do it, but he was determined to be the one to bring the dark wizard down and make him pay for Kymberly's distress.

Jason's gaze drifted to Trini and Zack, sitting in companionable silence to his left. She was now using her whetstone to sharpen the dagger she habitually carried in a holster on her lower right leg. The handle was ornate and she kept the blade extremely sharp. He'd seen her throw the small weapon with uncanny accuracy, once removing an opponent's earlobe without touching the man's face or neck. As for Zack, that young man had proven to be full of surprises. His genial nature and highly developed sense of humor hid a remarkable power of observation and considerable native intelligence. Jason didn't know what formal education he had, if any, but Zackary's ability to correctly assess a situation and come up with a viable plan of action was invaluable. He suspected that Zack's 'career' as a court jester was ended in favor of traveling with the young warrior priestess, helping maintain the balance between good and evil.

Will was, as usual, sitting at Jason's right side. He was perusing one of the scrolls he'd brought with him, frowning in concentration as he studied the small script. Jason wasn't close enough to read it clearly, but it appeared to be a collection of potions and spells, and Jason had to smile at his friend's determination to contribute to the safety of the group. Will might not be particularly large or strong, but he was knowledgeable in such a diverse array of subjects that there were few problems he couldn't think his way out of. A slight grin crossed the dark haired prince's face as he contemplated an opponent trying to get the best of Zackary and Will together.

As the last of the flames sputtered and died the small group retired to their respective bedrolls and a night of restlessness. They were all - for varying reason - anxious for the next day to be done.

One way or another, it would finally be over.

~*~

On the opposite side of the mountain, almost equidistant away, Skullavich consulted his Vision Sphere, anxious to find a way to ensure that he reached the altar before Princess Kymberly and her rescuers. He was easily able to ascertain their location, and grinned in self-satisfied malice as a plan to slow, if not stop, their progress came to mind. Settling down in his room at a small, isolated inn, he began to chant softly, making quick work of the trap he wanted to set.

~*~

The sextet of travelers was up and on the road before the sun had risen above the mountain they were traveling toward. The morning air was damp and chilly, but the day promised to mature to a sunny warmth, the perfect setting for the showdown that was sure to come. The very air seemed heavy with foreboding; birds dared not disturb the solemn silence that surrounded the group. Even the horses appeared to sense the importance of what would happen today, and they seemed to move with a kind of odd stealth. None of them had even eaten breakfast, too wound up with anticipation to tarry for something as unimportant as sustenance.

They rode three abreast, with Jason, Tomas and Trini leading the way. The low farmlands gradually gave way to a forest, sparse at first but soon turning dense and dark. The road narrowed, forcing the group to move first to double file, then single, with Jason at the front and Tomas taking up the rear.

Pine trees and low growing ferns were gradually joined by more tropical vegetation, and the former silence was now filled with the myriad sounds of the creatures that called the lush environment home. It was Trini who noticed when the normal sounds ceased.

"Jason," she called out suddenly, her voice taut with anxiety. "Something is not right here," she explained as the line of riders stopped at the edge of one of the small clearings that dotted the way.

"Yes," he replied thoughtfully. "But what?"

"Well, maybe that?" Zack contributed, pointing a slightly unsteady finger toward their left. There at the edge of the clearing sat an enormous bear, its deadly claws several inches long. At its side was a trio of gray wolves, their eyes glowing with aggression. A powerful ape paced just beyond the canines, it's attention never wavering from the travelers. In the high branches of the trees behind the other animals a pair of falcons perched, poised and ready for flight.

"What the hell?" Tomas wondered, knowing full well that the gathering of those animals was in no way natural.

Before anyone could reply Kymberly let out a shrill scream as nearly a dozen black frogs leapt from the moist grass at her horse's feet and scrambled up the young royal's legs. In her surprised panic she inadvertently kicked her horse into a startled run, nearly unseating the petite young woman. Zack, who had been directly in front of her, reacted with admirable reflexes and was almost able to grab the reins before the horse took off. He missed by mere inches, but was the first to spur his own mount after Kymberly. Before any of the others could react or formulate a plan, the other creatures moved in to attack.

The ape charged at Trini, while the bear appeared to target Jason. The falcons swooped down toward Tomas as the wolves stalked Will. The four remaining young people separated a bit to allow for fighting room as the animals made their move. Tomas ducked down as much as possible in the saddle as the large birds of prey dove at him with talons at the ready. Pain shot up his leg as the second falcon tore a bloody path across the leg he had draped across the saddle. His horse, spooked by the aerial attack, ducked away, unseating the tall hero. He landed badly; narrowly missing being hit in the head by his horse's flailing hooves as the panicked animal fled. 'At least now I'm a lower target,' he thought with some irony as he took up a defensive stance near a group of large boulders that at least provided some cover for his back.

Meanwhile Trini was having only marginal success against the large, enraged ape, whose tactic was to try and take down the young woman's horse. The simian attacker had managed to gain possession of one rein, but with Trini's urging the frightened mount was keeping just out of range of the aggressor's deadly grasp.

Will and Jason were facing opposite directions while staying side-by-side, both working hard at keeping the wolves and bear away from their vulnerable horses.

"I don't understand, this is not normal!" Tomas shouted, wishing he could do more to help his companions, but any attempt to leave the semi-shelter of the rocks resulted in another attack from the birds of prey that had targeted him.

Tomas's comment caught Will's attention as they continued to fight off nearly continuous attacks. Seeing the somewhat dazed look in the wolves' eyes, Will realized that the animals were under some sort of enchantment. Almost simultaneously he recognized the spell that must have been used, and called out anxiously to his companions.

"I think I can stop this, but I need to have a few moments to set up and get out the herbs and candles," he informed them. "Any suggestions?" he asked even as he used his staff to knock the largest of the wolves aside, narrowly missing being unseated in the effort.

"Over here," Tomas called out, ducking away from yet another diving attack from the falcons. The large birds were uncannily good at synchronizing their attacks. "There's a protected hollow here, and we could defend the entrance."

"Let's do it!" Jason decided, hitting the bear with all his considerable strength as Will sent two of the wolves scampering from his flailing staff. They two young men darted over to Tomas's position, with Will throwing himself from his horse with his knapsack and staff in hand. Ducking behind Tomas the young apprentice wizard hastily pulled out a single white candle and his packet of herbs. The sound of the flint reached Tomas's ears as the tall hero grabbed Will's discarded staff and used it along with his own staff to dissuade the wolves.

Trini and Jason flanked Tomas, using their horse's bodies, their staffs, and their legs to beat back the attacking animals as they heard Will's soft voice begin chanting. Moments later the beasts seemed to stagger, and Trini saw the ape's eyes glow a sudden blue before the big animal simply turned and lumbered back toward the jungle. The wolves and bear similarly slunk off, and the falcons were suddenly nowhere to be seen. All four of the travels breathed a sigh of relief to find they were once again alone.

"Good job, Will," Tomas declared, turning with a broad smile for the Outcaste. "Thank the Gods you knew the counter spell, 'cause they sure weren't showing any signs of giving up."

"It's a fairly basic enchantment," the blond demurred, packing his supplies back up carefully. "I should have recognized it sooner."

"We'd better see if we can find Kymberly and Zack," Tomas noted. "And my horse would be a good thing to have, too," he added with a scowl.

"I think it headed the same way Kymberly and Zack did," Jason said as he held out a hand to assist Tomas to mount behind him. The tall young man swung up easily, and the quartet set out at a brisk trot to find their missing companions.

~*~

On the far side of Seraph Mountain Skullavich threw the Vision Sphere away from him in frustration, vowing once again to have his revenge on all six of the young people who dared to oppose him.

~*~

It was nearly an hour later before Jason spotted their wayward companions heading back toward them, with Tomas's horse following docilely. Kymberly rode with her head down, following Zack's lead. The usually jovial jester was liberally spattered with mud, and a soiled bandage was wrapped around his left hand.

"Are you okay?" Jason asked, not feeling at all confident about how the two of them looked.

"Better now that the local critters stopped attacking us," Zack reported wearily. "I'm guessing you guys had something to do with that?"

"Will reversed the spell," Tomas said, approaching the subdued princess with a concerned frown. "What happened?" he asked her gently.

"I panicked," she muttered, still staring with great concentration at the saddle horn. Tomas cast a curious glance at Zack, wordlessly asking for more explanation.

"Those frogs were tenacious," the dark skinned young man noted without humor. "Stuck to her, the horse, everything. By the time I was able to get her stopped, they'd managed to even get caught up in her hair. Nasty things," he reported as Kymberly shuddered at the memory.

"We ended up near a pond, and I swear more of them came out to attack. The horses were even getting freaked out," Zack continued. "But at least the frogs wouldn't really HURT us, you know? Then the squirrels started in."

"Squirrels?" Jason asked, desperately schooling his expression into a serious concern.

"Yes, squirrels. And it's not funny," Zackary retorted, not ready to see anything comical about the situation. "One of the furry menaces bit me," he added, holding up his bandaged hand. "After my horse threw me at the edge of the pond." That explained his muddy attire.

"It was all my fault," Kymberly sighed, finally glancing up at her companions with tear filled eyes. The four young men were surprised; Kymberly had been so fearless and strong, but frogs were able to reduce her to tears? It didn't make any sense to them. Trini, however, seemed to understand the situation and realized that the princess needed some time to recover from her ordeal.

"Why don't you guys go help Zack get cleaned up, and I'll help Kymberly do the same," she suggested, hoping they men would understand what she didn't say. It appeared they did because there was no comment from any of them as they turned back toward the pond Zack and Kym had just left.

Once they were alone the two young women dismounted and the petite royal sat down on a nearby fallen log with a shaky sigh. Trini took a seat on a nearby rock, and waited patiently until Kymberly looked over at her.

"I'm such an idiot."

"What makes you say that?" Trini asked gently.

"Frogs aren't dangerous, they can't hurt me, but there I was, screaming and running like a four-year-old. _Frogs!_" She stated with self-loathing evident in her tone.

"Book Beetles."

"What?" Kymberly's brow furrowed with confusion at Trini's response.

"Those disgusting black beetles that sometimes get into older books? Have you ever seen them?"

"Sure. I remember seeing my tutor find some once," she replied, still wondering what Trini was talking about.

"It happened just before I left the Temple of Zahara. I'd finished my training, was now accepted as a warrior priestess. I went to the library, just wanting to visit it one last time. A volume about astrology caught my eye, so I took it down to read a bit. I opened it up and five or six of those beetles swarmed out and up my arms. I screamed and dropped the book, running out the door as if trying to escape the very gates of Hell. I nearly knocked over my Master as I fled, beating at my arms like someone possessed. He followed me to where I ended up, crouched beneath a tree near the gardens. Sanity had finally returned and I was so embarrassed, if the ground had opened up and swallowed me whole at that moment I would have been grateful. To react in such a manner to so minor - so _harmless_ - a thing, it was shameful. Or so I felt," Trini said softly, while Kymberly nodded in sympathetic understanding.

"But the Master simply knelt down beside me, and carefully rubbed my arms, as if to help rid me of the lingering feel of those insects crawling. I started to apologize for such a blatant show of fear, but he brushed my words aside as easily as he'd brushed away the beetles. 'Child, he said, that was not fear you experienced, that was shock. Surprise. Something as unpleasant as it was unexpected. Once you get over the surprise you shall be fine. Such is the difference between surprise and fear. Surprise is short term, fear is lifelong. The challenge is to not let surprise turn into fear.' Then he led me back into the library, and opened the book Id dropped in my panic. He took out one of the remaining beetles and put it into my hand. Honestly, the poor bug must have been so confused; my hand was shaking so much. But the Master simply helped steady me, and reached over for one of the magnifying glasses they kept there. He had me look at the details of the beetle, pointing out the intricacies of its body, the graceful antennae, the deep black of its shell. Once I could see the beauty of the creature, once Id held it for a while without harm, the lingering fear fled. Knowledge is the most effective defense against fear, he told me. By helping me gain knowledge of the source of my shock, it kept it from developing into an actual fear."

Kymberly couldn't hide her surprise at Trini's story. During their time together the young princess had developed almost a hero's worship of the calm, capable, serene warrior priestess. To hear that even a highly trained, powerful woman could be reduced to terror by something essentially harmless made her own reaction easier to accept. The glint of worry in the almond eyes of her friend prompted Kymberly to take the elegant hands into her own as she tried to find the right words to say.

"Thank you, Trini. I didn't think anyone could say anything to make me feel better. But you did. And it means the world to me that you've trusted me with your confidence," she added, wanting to reassure her friend that she would not be sharing this story with anyone else.

Trini smiled at her gratitude, and then stood up, striding over to the nearby spring that followed the meandering path through the wilderness. Her quick eye had noted the small frogs that called the watery area home, and it was swift work to gently capture one. Kymberlys expression was anything but happy when she realized what Trini was up to.

Oh, no, I dont need to hold one. Im not afraid, I promise, she protested, holding her hands up in a warding off gesture. Really, this is so not necessary.

Still, when Trini caught her hand and carefully deposited the tiny amphibian into it, Kymberly shuddered in reaction, nearly throwing the defenseless creature. Only her stubborn pride and desire to not be thought of as weak stayed her hand. After a few moments where the princess, priestess and frog all remained motionless, Kymberly finally took a good look at the source of her trauma.

It was a tiny frog, grass green with delicate stripes of vibrant red, and random dots of bright yellow. The slightly bulging eyes were trying to look every direction at once, and the webbed feet actually tickled the palm of her hand. When it swelled up and released a surprisingly loud croak of outrage at its situation, both young women burst into laughter. Kymberly leaned down and let the small animal hop down into the damp grass.

There, youre free. No need to shout about it, she scolded it between giggles. Geez, wonder what it would sound like if it was bigger? she wondered.

Im glad we dont have to find out, Trini replied with a wide grin. The two young women sat quietly for a few moments, letting the peace of the meadow calm them.

I guess wed better go catch up with the guys, Kymberly said at last, standing up and brushing at her clothing. We still have a ways to go.

Trini didnt comment, simply walked with her companion to their horses. A kick of their heels sent them back along the path to the inevitable showdown with Skullavich.

~*~

**To Be Continued**


End file.
